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: An unloading flap of a stationary or mobile silo for pourable particulate material having at least one outlet opening comprises an upper part that is secured to a first silo wall and a lower part that hinges on the upper part and can be tilted into the open and closed positions by means of an actuating rod that can be power driven.The lower edge of the straight or angled lower part with respect to the upper part is in the form of a projecting support. In the closed position this support rests along a line or area on a longitudinal groove in the region of the lower edge of a second silo wall. A device attached to one of the two parts of the flap exercises a moment of rotation on the other part of the flap such that the angle (.alpha.) between the upper and lower parts is reduced to an angle (.alpha.

Abstract: An apparatus for actuating and locking pairs of hopper doors of a railroad hopper car of the type having a longitudinal center sill and pairs of longitudinally extending chutes, located opposite each other and on each side of the center sill, configured to discharge lading to each side of the hopper car, and each provided with a hopper door. Each chute of a pair is provided with a longitudinally extending shaft rotatively mounted on the underside thereof with first and second end portions extending beyond its chute. Both end portions of the shaft have an operating cam assembly non-rotatively mounted thereon and connected to the adjacent hopper door by an operating link. The operating cam assemblies at corresponding ends of the shafts are joined by connecting links. The first end of each shaft has a ratchet wheel and a capstain non-rotatively mounted thereon. Each chute of the pair has a ratchet pawl pivoted thereto and cooperating with its respective ratchet wheel.

Abstract: A device for unloading a container used for bulk materials is such that a container floor is made up at least in part of flaps which can be tilted or swung out away from the interior. To this end at least two flaps are connected via a ridging beam or axle which runs through the interior of the container above a rotatable shaft. The rotational movement of the shaft is transmitted to the flaps to actuate same. The shaft features on opposite sides and transverse to its longitudinal axis first and second flange pairs, the former accommodating an elbow lever with the help of a push-fit bolt, and the latter a lever with the help of a bolt. The elbow lever and the lever are hinged to the flaps respectively. Further, connected to the flaps is a lock which joins up via bolts with the elbow lever or the lever, and in the closed position engages on a latching device.

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: A door lock mechanism for hopper cars includes a longitudinally extending operating rod actuated by a linkage means tripped by a track side cam. The rod in turn actuates cam locks by means of bell cranks which cause the locks to rotate and release transverse tension rods connected to doors for opening the same. The cam locks include cams engageable with teeth on the tension rods for securely locking the doors in a closed position. The operating rod also includes cam means effectively engaging the cam locks to positively lock the same in a closed position.