Abstract: An adapter for use with a bottom operable tank car valve assembly includes an upper attachment portion for quickly attaching the adapter to a bottom operable tank car valve guard assembly. The adapter includes a body portion having one or more spouts extending radially outwardly from the body portion to receive loading and unloading conduits. An adapter operator is provided having a lower tool connection portion and a vertical extension extending upwardly within the adapter for attachment to a valve closure operator located within the valve guard assembly for opening and closing the tank car valve. The adapter includes a pair of spouts extending in different radial directions and different vertical inclinations to facilitate attachment of an unloading conduit to the adapter in an emergency situation.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a railway hopper car unloading arrangement is provided, including at least one hopper having hopper slope sheets extending downwardly and inwardly. A standard outlet frame is attached to the inner ends of the hopper slope sheets. A removable adapter is attached to the outlet frame. The adapter includes an adapter mounting flange and a divider extending longitudinally of the car, which divides the adapter into a pair of transversely spaced adapter outlets or chutes. The adapter further includes adapter side walls and end walls, the lower ends of which define transversely spaced adapter chutes. A generally horizontally extending gate is movable between open and closed positions relative to each adapter chute. In addition, the adapter includes boot attachment means located below each adapter outlet for attachment of an unloading boot for each adapter outlet.

Abstract: Enclosed covered hopper cars are interconnected by conduits to form a partial or complete unit-train for liquid lading service, particularly liquid petroleum. The conduits are at least partially flexible to negotiate curves in the road bed. Preferably the conduits joining adjacent hoppers extend between openings located in the upper portion of the end hoppers. Preferably at the bottom of each hopper a hopper floor is removably attached to a hopper outlet mounting flange. The hopper floor includes a lading opening. A longitudinal tube is located below the lading openings, extending between the end floor sheets. A conduit extends from the upper portion of one end hopper in the car to the longitudinal tube to enable the cars to be unloaded by positive pressure applied to an end car of a group of cars.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a tank car mounting flange is welded to an opening in the tank bottom and preferably does not extend below the bottom surface of the tank more than one (1) inch to comply with AAR and DOT Regulations. A valve body including a valve seat is located concentrically within the mounting flange and is removably attached to the mounting flange. The valve body may be attached to the mounting flange with a threaded fitting, or with fasteners and a retaining ring located within the mounting flange, in which fasteners holding the retaining ring in place extend into the mounting flange. A depending housing including a lower operator is attached to the mounting flange or to the retaining ring with fasteners which define a shear plane.

Abstract: In a railway trailer hitch, a wear resistant and crack resistant insert is removably attached to a fixed portion of the head which is subject to wear or cracking in service. The insert is made of a material which reduces or avoids wear and cracking of the fixed portion. If wear or cracking does occur, it tends to take place in the insert. An old insert can be easily and quickly removed and a new insert inserted into the head so that the hitch is not taken out of service to repair or replace the top plate.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a brake rigging for applying the brakes to the wheels in a railway car includes a top rod extending over the inner axle which engages a gear located between the inner axle and the truck bolster. The gear includes a first inclined, vertically extending gear lever having a curved segment end portion having gear teeth which engage gear teeth on a curved segment portion of a second inclined, vertically extending gear lever which is connected to a brake beam extending between the inner wheels. In addition a bottom connection is connected to at least one of the first and second gear levers and extends through the truck bolster. The opposite end of the bottom connection is attached to an outer vertically extending lever, the lower end of which is attached to an outer brake beam for applying the brakes to the outer wheels.

Abstract: In a sparger outlet, openings in a sparger loop are provided with specially designed check valves to reduce or eliminate the tendency of the lading to enter the loop through the openings. The openings in the loop include a hollow cylindrical seat portion. The seat member includes an opening in the interior portion thereof which communicates with the loop. The external portion of the seat member includes a circular seat adapted to receive a check valve in closed position. The seat portion may be formed in the loop or be a separate member. The check valve includes a stem portion extending through the seat, a tail portion which engages the interior portion of the seat member, and a head portion which in closed position seats on the seat. Either the stem portion and/or the tail portion is made of elastomeric material. The tail portion includes outwardly extending legs which engage the interior portion of the seat and bias the head portion into seated position on the seat.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a container outlet valve assembly is provided surrounding a container outlet including a generally cone-shaped housing extending upwardly into the container, and including radially spaced outer openings in the cone for lading to flow out of the container. A cone valve is located within the housing containing spaced openings which align with the outer openings in the cone housing when the cone valve is in open position. A liner of low friction material is attached to the outer surface of the cone valve and/or the inner surface of the cone housing. The cone valve is rigidly attached to a vertically extending shaft which is journaled for rotation in a bearing in the cone housing. A hub extends radially outwardly from the lower portion of the shaft to the cone valve. The cone valve is rotatable to a closed position in which the valve body closes the openings located in the cone valve housing.

Abstract: In a railway car trailer hitch in which a yoke maintains a pair of jaws in position engaging the trailer king pin in closed position, a pivotably mounted cam assembly is provided which moves the yoke to the open position and a stop is automatically activated when the yoke reaches the open position which maintains the yoke in open position for removal of the trailer from the hitch.

Abstract: In a bottom operable tank car lading valve assembly, a combination skid and lading valve seat for the lading valve closure is provided, which is attached to the tank car universal flange with mechanical fasteners. The valve seat portion extends inwardly and upwardly from the universal flange and includes a machined seat. The skid portion extends upwardly and outwardly from the universal flange, forming a circumferential taper, and the upper portion abuts the bottom of the tank. The skid portion protects the lading valve closure and the lading valve seat against impacts which might normally cause unseating of the valve closure and escape of the lading in the absence of the skid portion.

Abstract: In accordance with the present application, a bottom operable tank car valve seat and skid are made in separate pieces. The skid is welded to a skid mounting flange which is located below a tank car universal mounting flange. The skid mounting flange is attached to the universal mounting flange with fasteners. A ring is inserted into a slot provided in the upper, inner surface of the universal flange. Fasteners inserted into existing threaded openings in the universal flange hold the ring in place. A valve seat is mounted on the inner surface of the universal flange and the ring. The ring is held in place with fasteners which extend through the universal flange into the ring. These fasteners also hold in place an operator retainer to maintain the lading valve operator spaced from the walls of the valve seat and vertically fixed. With this arrangement the skid can be removed separately from the outlet.

Abstract: In a railway trailer hitch, a wear resistant and crack resistant insert is removably attached to a fixed portion of the head which is subject to wear or cracking in service. The insert is made of a material which reduces or avoids wear and cracking of the fixed portion. If wear or cracking does occur, it tends to take place in the insert. An old insert can be easily and quickly removed and a new insert inserted into the head so that the hitch is not taken out of service to repair or replace the top plate.

Abstract: In accordance with the present structure, in a railway hopper car a corrugated bolster web extends vertically between a bolster cover plate and the end hopper slope sheet. The vertically extending corrugations act as reinforcements in the web which web has at least some of the corrugations positioned over the side bearings and center plate.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention an open top railway car is provided in which the car body is divided longitudinally into at least two body sections having opposite ends which are pivotally mounted on vertically extending supports attached to a car underframe. The body sections include respective transversely spaced side walls, at least one end wall, and bottom walls having inner edges which abut and/or overlap in closed position to define the bottom of the car. Each of the body sections is pivotable from the closed position to an open position in which the inner edges of the bottom walls are spaced apart to allow discharge of lading between the rails. An energy saving unloading system is also disclosed for unloading the cars.

Abstract: In a railway freight car an elastomeric boot is attached to the entrance and/or exit of a hollow sill or hollow structural member through which a brake rod passes. The brake rod passes through a brake rod opening in the boot in entering and/or leaving the sill or structural member, and the boot engages the brake rod sufficiently to substantially prevent moisture from passing through the boot and into the sill or structural member.

Abstract: A control arrangement is provided to control discharges of compressed gas into vessels containing difficult to unload material comprising one or more control valves connected in operative relation to discharge valves operative to discharge compressed gas from an accumulator into the vessel. The control valves are provided with a timer for controlling the time of discharge of compressed gas from the accumulator. This timer may comprise a pneumatic, electro-mechanism and/or electronic timer. The control arrangement may also include means for applying pressure gas to discharge valves which are in operative relation with accumulator discharge devices which are not being utilized for unloading. Various arrangements for mounting the accumulators, discharge valves, conduits, and discharge devices are illustrated in connection with a railway hopper car. Certain discharge device mounting arrangements are preferred in unloading certain types of lading.

Abstract: A pneumatic hopper outlet, where the discharge conduit end cap is held in place with at least one large headed bolt which is pivotably mounted on the discharge conduit and which engages at least a portion of the end cap. The large headed bolt is attached to a vertically extending locking member of generally inverted J shape which is rotatably mounted on a side of the discharge conduit. When an operating handle attached to an operating shaft of an outlet valve element is in the position which corresponds to the fully closed position of the valve element, the lower surface of the locking member prevents movement of the operating handle and the valve element from moving from the closed position. If the valve element and its operating shaft are not in the fully closed position, the operating handle obstructs the path of the pivoting locking member and the large headed bolt cannot be pivoted into position to hold the end cap in closed position.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fixture assembly for removing for repair and/or replacement some or all of the operating assembly of a bottom operable tank car valve while the closure portion of the valve, which closes the opening in the tank bottom, remains in closed position. The closure portion prevents lading from escaping from the tank while the damaged portion of the valve operating assembly is repaired and/or replaced, and the operating assembly is reassembled with a properly functioning valve operating assembly.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, the bottom operable tank car valve assembly described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,481 is simplified and improved and a supplemental sealing arrangement is provided. In the improved design, the valve body includes a flange portion which is attached to a standard tank car universal flange and an inwardly extending circumferential portion upon which a valve closure seats in closed position. The valve closure includes a keeper which maintains a circumferential elastomeric seal in place engaging the closure. Clearance is provided between the closure operator, and the valve closure so that if the circumferential seal softens, melts or burns, the closure can move vertically downwardly relative to the closure operator, and the valve closure will engage the valve seat on the valve body in place of the circumferential seal, to substantially prevent escape of lading from the tank.