Abstract: A plastic nailable steel flooring insert is provided including a generally vertical end closure closing one of the vertical openings which occurs at opposite ends of nailable steel flooring panels extending in a transportation vehicle to a position adjacent, but laterally spaced from, a generally vertical wall in the vehicle, and at least one gap closure flap attached to a first face of the end closure effective to engage the vehicle wall in interference fit and close the gap between the end closure and the vehicle wall. In engaged position the flap is at least partially deformed and thereby urges the insert into engagement with the nailable steel flooring panel and the vehicle wall. The insert may include a retainer portion to maintain engagement between the insert and the nailable steel flooring panel. The retainer portion may be mounted on the face of the insert facing the nailable steel flooring panel and may engage reinforcement located within the nailable steel flooring panel.

Abstract: In a railway car truck a transverse member is provided including spaced sides and a member joining said sides to define a hollow portion having an open bottom such that the shear center is spaced upwardly from the neutral axis of the section. A truck center bearing is provided at about the mid portion of said transverse member which is located at about said shear center so that torsional deflection or twisting of the transverse member is avoided.

Abstract: A pneumatic outlet for a hopper is disclosed having a tubular conduit extending from at least one end of the outlet to which suction or air under pressure may be applied for unloading the outlet. The tubular conduit is rotatably mounted and is connected to an internal valve member whereby rotation of the tubular conduit actuates the valve member to control the flow of lading from the outlet. The tubular conduit has a cylindrical outer surface, and a hub having at least one handle extending therefrom is rotatably and axially slidable on the cylindrical surface.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for supporting and rotating a pair of hollow tank sections of generally circular cross section, including scalene frusto-conical tank sections, during welding of the sections in end-to-end abutting relation to form an elongted tank. The apparatus includes three longitudinally spaced, axially aligned, rotatable rings which define a welding cage. The center ring includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially directed jacks, each extendible the same distance regardless of the resistance encountered by a particular jack to force the abutting edges of the tank sections into a precise circular cross section and support and hold the abutting edges in aligned relation during rotation and welding.

Abstract: In an elastomer-in-shear cushioning assembly is provided within the diagonal strut of a railway car trailer hitch. Elastomeric material is bonded to a fixed portion of the strut and to a portion of the strut which is movable relative to the fixed portion. Elastomer-in-shear cushioning is less expensive and has lower maintenance costs than hydraulic units. Elastomer-in-shear units absorb considerably more energy per unit volume than rubber-in-compression units. The elastomeric material may be placed under lateral compression to increase the fatigue life of the elastomeric material. Cover plates may be attached to the cushioning assembly to maximize the amount of energy absorbed per unit length of displacement.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for taking a sample from a desired level in a tank, including at least one tube extending from the outside of the tank to a selected level in the tank from where a sample is to be taken. The inner end of the tube is in fluid communication with a sampling chamber. The sampling chamber has an opening in its lower portion in communication with the inside of the tank through which liquid from the tank to be sampled may enter. The outer end of the tube is provided with a sampling valve for removing a sample from the tube. When the tank is not loaded, air enters the sampling chamber and the tube from within the tank and/or from the outside of the tank when the sampling valve is opened. The sampling valve is closed prior to loading the tank. The sampling chamber and the tube are sized such that the air pressure in the tube and in the sampling chamber prevent the liquid from entering the tube when the tank is filled.

Abstract: A railway hopper car is provided with a mounting bracket assembly which applies the vibrational loads to the car essentially entirely in shear.

Abstract: A method of loading a railway hopper car is disclosed including densifying the lading during loading of the car by vibrating the hopper car with a vibrator mounted in a vibrator bracket assembly which applies the vibrational loads to the car essentially entirely in shear.

Abstract: In a pneumatic outlet a "U" shaped bail assembly is pivotally mounted on at least one end wall of the outlet. The bail assembly includes a pair of arms which extend outwardly from the end wall beyond the discharge tube of the outlet, and a body portion which extends transverse to the longitudinal axis of the discharge tube and joins the arms. A locking handle is mounted on the body portion which is movable to a locking position to maintain the end cap in engagement with the discharge tube. A locking assembly mounted on one of the arms of the bail is movable between a position blocking movement of the locking handle from the locking position and a position allowing movement of the locking handle to the unlocked position. A fastener member carried by the locking assembly is operable to fasten the locking assembly in the handle blocking position.

Abstract: A lading sampling device for a tank includes two concentric, telescoped tubes extending upwardly within the tank. The tubes are mounted for axial rotation relatively to each other and each tube has a plurality of vertically spaced openings through the wall thereof through which a lading sample may pass from the tank into the innermost tube when the openings in the two tubes are aligned. The relative circumferential spacing of the openings in the two tubes is such that only openings at the same level in each tube are aligned to receive a lading sample in a particular rotated position of the tubes whereby samples of lading may be selectively taken at different levels in the tank by relative rotation of the tubes a seal is placed between the inner and the outer tube between each level of vertically spaced openings. In one embodiment, the tubes are assembled in short pieces to facilitate retrofitting existing tanks with the sampling device where limited clearance exists below the bottom of the tank.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a combination hatch cover design is provided in a railway hopper car roof wherein a smaller hatch cover is entirely mounted upon a larger, preferably elongated or continuous hatch cover and wherein the smaller hatch cover can be operated independently of the locking arrangement of the larger cover. The combination hatch covers of the present invention may be made of metallic or non-metallic material, preferably of metal alloy or reinforced plastic. If desired, the small cover can be mounted with its axis along the longitudinal axis of the large cover whereby in open position the small hatch cover will not obstruct the walkway on the car.

Abstract: A vibrator bracket assembly for mounting hopper vibrator equipment on hoppers is provided including at least two spaced apart support members each having a longitudinal axis adapted to integrally engage a structural portion of the hopper. A vibrator mounting bracket having first and second planar surfaces parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support members extends between the support members and is adapted to receive a vibrator to facilitate loading or unloading of the hopper. The vibrational forces are applied to the vibrator mounting bracket and are transmitted to the support members and are applied to the hopper structural portion by the support members essentially entirely as shear loads in the plane of the hopper structural portion. A mounting plate may be provided at right angles to the vibrator mounting bracket. The mounting plate is adapted to apply rotating vibrator loads to adjacent hopper side sheets essentially entirely in shear in the plane of the side sheets.

Abstract: Circumferentially spaced jacks for clamping and supporting a pair of tank sections in end-to-end relationship during welding include spring biased gripping members mounted on at least some of the tank engaging ends of the jacks which initially grip the surfaces of the tank sections and then move in a direction to force the ends of the tank sections together as the jacks are extended.

Abstract: A fluidizing outlet is provided having plenum sheets which define with the sides of the bottom pan of the outlet a plenum chamber. At least a portion of the lower edges of the plenum sheets are spaced from the sides of the bottom pan a suitable distance to provide gaps which form first fluidizing openings. Openings are provided in the upper portion of the plenum sheets to provide second fluidizing openings to fluidize the lading. The respective sizes of the first and second fluidizing openings are of a size sufficient to fluidize the lading, and are sufficiently large that they are not readily clogged by contaminates; for example, from dirty supply air and/or improper outlet cleaning to prevent operation of the outlet, and of a size sufficient that substantially all of the lading is removed during unloading. It has been found that the spacing between the outlet pan and the plenum sheets forming the first fluidizing openings should be at least about 0.03 inches, and should not exceed about 0.04 inches.

Abstract: A hopper for lading having a lower discharge outlet and a gas discharge nozzle extending into the hopper above the discharge outlet through which blasts of gas may be directed into the hopper to break up the lading and facilitate discharge of the lading through the discharge outlet. A conduit is mounted within the hopper extending between the end of the gas discharge nozzle and the discharge outlet to direct blasts of gas from the gas discharge nozzle to the discharge opening of the outlet to break up lading bridged across the outlet opening. The gas discharge nozzle is of elbow shape and rotatably mounted whereby it may be rotated to either direct blasts of gas through the conduit to the opening of the outlet or to direct blasts of gas to other areas of the hopper.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a railway car truck is provided including a pair of transversely spaced side frames and a transom which is attached solely to the side frames with a rigid connection to define an integral H frame to maintain the side frames parallel and resist truck hunting. The transom has a cross section which provides torsional flexibility which allows the side frames to rock relative to one another. Above the transom a bolster is provided which extends transversely between the side frames and rests upon spring assemblies mounted in openings in the side frames. The weight of the car body is by car body bearing assemblies mounted on the bolster above the spring assemblies. A bolster center bearing is provided which engages the car body and transmits substantially all horizontal loads from the car body through the bolster to the side frames.

Abstract: A flux back-up assembly for a tank welding fixture is disclosed having a rotatable ring which supports a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extendible jacks for supporting and clamping hollow tank sections during welding of the sections in end-to-end abutting relation to form an elongated tank. The flux back-up assembly includes a continuous circular, flux receiving trough member formed of telescoping accurate sections attached to the extendible tank engaging ends of the jacks and adapted to telescope circumferentially whereby the continuous circular trough may expand or contract in diameter as the jacks are extended or retracted to accommodate tank sections of different diameters.

Abstract: A pneumatic bottom discharge outlet for hoppers is provided having a tubular conduit extending from at least one side of the outlet to which vacuum suction or air under pressure may be applied for unloading lading from the discharge outlet. The tubular conduit has a first annular portion having an outer surface for receiving a female hose coupling of one diameter and a second annular portion projecting axially from the first annular portion and having an outer surface of a smaller diameter than the first annular portion for receiving a female hose coupling of a smaller diameter. The first and second annular portions are eccentric with the inner surface of the second annular portion being substantially tangent to the inner surface to the first annular portion to provide a smooth flow passage for lading flow during clean-out of the discharge outlet.

Abstract: A welding assembly is provided wherein a nozzle body is pivoted about the weld head whereby the welding tip can be given fine adjustment by means of pivoting the nozzle body about the pivot point. A wire guide is provided which is quickly removable from the nozzle body for cleaning and/or replacing the wire guide. The welding tip, a tip adapter, and a tip nut may comprise a large mass of electrically conductive material. To obtain fine adjustment, the nozzle body, wire guide, welding tip, tip adapter and tip nut may be simultaneously pivoted about the weld head to move the welding tip relative to the work piece.

Abstract: A fluidizing assembly is provided having a readily removable and replaceable filter assembly. The filter assembly comprises a supporting grid member, a filter member and an open frame member upon which may be mounted a seal member. The fluidizing outlet assembly comprises an outlet body having a lower body flange and a bottom pan having an upper pan flange spaced below the lower body flange. A pair of filter assemblies are inserted between the lower body flange and the upper pan flange, and engages a filter support assembly located above a fluidizing header in the midportion of the outlet. Preferably the filter support assembly is provided with raised surfaces for forcing the filter assembly into operative position. The bottom pan includes passages in fluid communication with the fluidizing header which define a plenum for directing the fluidizing air below the filter member, and supports for the filter member.