Abstract: A pair of longitudinally spaced valve elements are provided in a pneumatic outlet. Each valve element includes a body portion, preferably a segment of a circle, including a body portion edge which seats on a body portion valve seat located adjacent the body portion edge, and a moment portion extending eccentrically away from the body portion, which seats on a moment portion valve seat. Each valve element is movable to a sampling position in which the body portion is spaced from the body portion valve seat and the moment portion is spaced from the moment portion valve seat to allow lading for sampling to flow into the discharge conduit. Each valve element includes a pair of operating shafts extending in opposite directions from the valve element, parallel to the discharge conduit, through opposite end walls of the outlet. Operating handles are attached to the operating shafts outside the end walls of the outlet.

Abstract: A bottom operable lading valve assembly for tank cars includes a valve closure plug movable between open and closed positions relative to a circular plug seat located within a valve body opening. A housing is affixed to the valve body with fasteners comprising a shear plane. The housing includes a generally vertical housing opening into which a rotatable valve operator is mounted comprising a lower tool connection portion, a shaft portion and an upper operating portion. The upper operating portion includes upper operator threads which engage an operating stem depending from the closure plug. The upper operating portion and the valve stem terminate on or above the shear plane. The valve operator shaft portion separates below the shear plane in the event impact causes the housing to shear off along the shear plane to maintain the upper operating portion, valve stem and closure plug in seated position to prevent escape of lading.

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 present invention also includes a method of transporting lading from place to place utilizing the adapter for loading and unloading the lading and the valve guard assembly while the car is in transit to protect the valve closure from impacts in transit.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a hatch cover opening and closing assembly is provided including a locking handle having a yoke pivotably mounted about a vertically extending shaft located in the center portion of the cover. The shaft extends downwardly through a guide which depends from the cover. The guide includes at least one generally vertical indexing slot. Below the cover a laterally extending pin and a plurality of radially extending locking arms are attached to the shaft. A plurality of locking lugs are mounted on the internal surface of the coaming. The shaft is rotatable by the handle to move the locking arms into and out of engagement with the locking lugs. However the pin must be located within the indexing slot to move the locking arms vertically into engagement with the locking lugs. When the shaft is rotated so that the pin is located out of the slot, but in engagement with the guide, the handle may be used to pivot the cover about a hinge into open position.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a power press or tool guard is provided. The guard includes a first generally vertical protective portion which is made of a protective material which is at least partly transparent through which the operator may view the operation of the tool or press; and a second protective portion which depends from the first protective portion and extends inwardly toward the press or tool. The second protective porton includes a plurality of arms or tynes which are pivotably mounted on the lower portion of the first protective portion. The inclination of the arms or tynes on a given side of the guard may be varied by a control member mounted on the first protective portion. In addition the length of individual tynes may be adjusted by loosening fasteners which hold the tynes in place depending from the first protective portion.

Abstract: In a combination hatch cover for railway car roofs,including a large cover having a smaller cover mounted thereon, each having their own separately operable latch, a supplemental locking arrangement is provided to maintain the small cover in closed position when the latch cover is moved to open position resting on the car roof.

Abstract: A bottom operable lading valve assembly for tank cars includes a valve closure plug movable between open and closed positions relative to a circular plug seat located within a valve body opening. A housing is affixed to the valve body with fasteners comprising a shear plane. The housing includes a generally vertical housing opening into which a rotatable valve operator is mounted comprising a lower tool connection portion and an upper operating portion. The upper operating portion includes upper operator threads which engage an operating stem depending from the valve plug. The valve operator separates below the shear plane in the event impact causes the housing to shear off along the shear plane to maintain the closure plug in seated position to prevent escape of lading. During rotation of the valve operator in a direction to move the closure plug to open position, the closure plug wipes the plug seat.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for blind hole mounting an external appurtenance including safety appliances such as ladder rungs, hand holds, and walkways on a railway freight car. One or more key hole slots are provided through the surface of the car where the external appurtenance is to be mounted. Each slot includes an enlarged bolt head receiving portion through which the head of a fastening bolt may be inserted and a key portion of smaller size forming a continuation of the slot into which the shank of the bolt may be slipped for retaining the fastening bolt in the slot. The relative dimensions of the bolt head and the bolt head receiving portion of the key hole slot are such that the bolt head can only pass through the bolt head receiving portion of the key hole slot when the bolt head is first inserted edgewise through the bolt head receiving portion and the bolt then rotated to a perpendicular position relatively to the key hole slot.

Abstract: In a bottom operable railway tank car valve assembly, a valve closure is movable between open and closed positions relative to an opening in a valve body mounted in the tank bottom for loading or unloading the lading. An operator depends from the valve closure. The lower end is contoured to receive a tool for opening and closing the valve closure. A valve guard is attached to the valve body with mechanical fasteners which constitute a shear plane. The valve guard includes a hollow depending portion. A valve guard cap is attached to the depending portion. The valve guard cap includes a depending protrusion which extends below the depending portion, and a transverse portion which extends below, and is spaced from, the bottom of the valve operator. If the valve guard or the valve guard cap is impacted, the loads are transmitted up through the valve guard to the valve body. Horizontal loads may cause the valve guard to shear off along the shear plane.

Abstract: A box car anti-pilferage device is adapted to be mounted on a railway box car having a sliding door a sufficient distance above the rail whereby the device is usually beyond the reach of thieves standing on the ground adjacent the rail. The device includes a door post having a transverse extension including a portion adapted to be engaged by a box car sliding door in closed position. A hasp locking member is pivotable about a generally horizontal axis upon either the box car sliding door or the door post extension. A tripped position plate is mounted upon the box car sliding door or the post extension, upon which the locking member is mounted. A locking plate is mounted on the other of the sliding door and the door post extension. The hasp locking member in locked position engages the locking plate. The hasp locking member is manually movable from the locked position to an open position out of engagement with the locking plate.

Abstract: An air inlet and outlet valve is located in the bottom of a tank so that the operator need not climb to the top of the tank to operate the valve. A conduit extends from the valve to the top of the tank. A stilling well is mounted inside the top of the tank. A ball which is lighter than the lading is mounted in the stilling well. The stilling well includes openings allowing air to enter or leave the tank through the conduit when the ball is in an unseated position in the stilling well. Lading contacting the ball moves the ball into a seated position which blocks the entrance to the conduit and prevents lading from entering the conduit, going down through the conduit to the valve at the bottom of the tank, and discharging from the conduit when the operator opens the valve.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a low profile sump is provided in the bottom of a railway tank car which does not extend below the tank sufficiently far as to require a skid. The eduction pipe includes a lower fixed eduction pipe portion which extends into the lower portion of the sump, and an upper movable eduction pipe portion which telescopically engages the lower eduction pipe portion for a distance at least equal to the distance that the tank top moves downwardly relative to the tank bottom when the car is impacted. Preferably the movable upper eduction pipe telescopes within the fixed, lower eduction pipe. Preferably a seal is provided between the fixed and movable eduction pipe portions to prevent air leakage into the eduction pipe during the final stages of unloading.

Abstract: A discharge outlet for attachment to the bottom of a hopper which has a longitudinally extending discharge opening between spaced inner edges of the outlet side walls. An elongate control valve is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis in the discharge opening between a pair of longitudinally extending parallel seats on opposed sides of the valve, and the control valve has its axis of rotation closer to one side of the control valve than to its other side whereby from a closed position weight of lading on the valve urges the valve in one direction of rotation to an open position in which lading is discharged about both sides of the control valve. The control valve includes a body portion extending longitudinally in the discharge opening, and a moment portion extending transversely and eccentrically relative to the axis of rotation of the body portion.

Abstract: A railway car truck assembly includes spaced side frames supported by truck journal bearings. A bolster extends transversely between the side frames. A spring assembly is supported on the spaced side frames and engages the lower surface of the boltster. The bolster includes a center bearing and a pair of side bearings mounted on either side of the center bearing. The side bearings receive the weight of the car body. Each of the side bearings includes an upper surface made of a first low friction material. The car body includes a depending center portion engaging the center bearing and spaced side portions having a lower surface made of a second low friction material engaging the side bearings. One of the first and second low friction materials is selected from nylon polyesters, polycarbonates, polyacetals and polysulfones. The other of the first and second low friction materials is selected from polytetrafluoroethylene.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention an air inlet and outlet valve is mounted within an opening in the top of a railway tank car. The valve is operable from the bottom of the car by means of a rotatable operating shaft which extends from the bottom of the car up through the tank to the top of the tank to operate the valve. The operating shaft includes an operator for raising and lowering the valve located at the bottom of the tank, and includes a shaft telescoping arrangement whereby the upper portion of the shaft telescopes relative to the lower portion of the shaft, as the top of the tank moves relative to the bottom of the tank.

Abstract: A railway car truck assembly having an integral H-frame includes longitudinally extending side frames integrally attached to a transverse member having a center bearing. The side frames are resiliently mounted for rocking movement on truck journal boxes. The side frames each include a constant contact side bearing adapted to take the weight of the car body. Each side bearing has an upper surface made of a first low friction material. A car body located above the truck pivots about the center bearing and includes laterally spaced depending portions having a lower surface made of a second low friction material supported on the side bearings. One of the first and second low friction materials includes filled nylon and the other low friction material includes filled polytetrafluoroethylene. The coefficient of friction between the first and second low friction materials is sufficiently low to allow relative rotation between the truck and car body.

Abstract: A hopper is provided having a discharge outlet including a lading control valve for metering the lading into a discharge tube extending below the hopper. The discharge tube at one of its ends is adapted to receive a lading transfer conduit to convey the lading to a container. A first conduit is provided to apply air pressure from an air supply source adjacent the hopper to the upper portion of the hopper in the car. A second conduit is provided to apply air pressure from the source into a first end portion of the discharge tube. A third conduit is connected to the source and to the second conduit to apply air pressure to the opposite end portion of the discharge tube. A first air control valve is provided to control the air pressure applied to the upper portion of the hopper. A second air control valve is provided for controlling air pressure applied to the end portion of the discharge tube to be used for unloading.

Abstract: An electrical height control circuit for controlling the height of a plasma arc cutting torch includes a differential amplifier which compares a torch height detector voltage with an adjustable reference voltage for setting the torch height. In accordance with the invention an adjusting circuit is provided for changing the reference voltage to compensate for changes in the detector voltage caused by water or other material on the work piece to insure that the torch is maintained at the desired height above the work piece.

Abstract: A diagonal strut energy absorbing cushioning assembly for use in a trailer hitch for holding piggyback trailers in place on railway flat cars including an inclined longitudinally extending fixed member attached to the deck of a railway car and an inclined longitudinally extending movable member spaced from said fixed member. The movable member is attached to a kingpin engagement assembly of a railway trailer hitch for holding in place the kingpin of a highway trailer. A resilient assembly is carried by the fixed and movable members. The resilient assembly includes at least one elastomeric member attached to a first surface on the fixed member and a second surface spaced from the first surface attached to the movable member. The elastomeric material is shearable between the first and second surfaces under cushioning loads.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a diagonal strut for a railway trailer hitch is provided including a rubber-in-shear cushioning assembly including a center member and spaced outer members. Elastomeric material is bonded to the center member and spaced outer members. A fixed portion of the diagonal strut is attached to the car deck or to a plate adapted to be attached to the car deck. A movable portion of the strut is attached to the head of the hitch. In one embodiment the center member is movable relative to the spaced side members under buff loads to put the resilient material in shear, and under draft loads the spaced side members are movable relative to the center member to put the resilient material in shear. In another embodiment the center member is movable relative to the spaced side members under draft loads to put the resilient material in shear, and under buff loads the spaced side members move relative to the center member to place the elastomeric material in shear.