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. To achieve increased volumetric carrying capacity, the bottoms are horizontal and extend outboard of the wheels. 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 pressurized railway hopper car vertical and horizontal reinforcement members are strategically located relative to the car side plate to counteract the moment M caused by the internal pressure applied to the side sheets and to the roof. The vertical reinforcement member is spaced inwardly from the shear center of the side plate a distance determined by dividing the value of the moment M by the vertical component of the membrane pressure loads applied to the roof and to the side sheet. Horizontally extending reinforcements are provided extending between the laterally spaced side plates which are attached to the side plates at approximately the shear center of the side plate. With the horizontal and vertical members thus located, the vertical and horizontal reinforcing members will carry substantially axial loads only, essentially eliminating bending, and thus may be of reduced size as compared to the size which would be required if these members also carried bending loads.

Abstract: A tank car stub sill support structure is provided in which a half ring is attached to the inner end of a stub center sill at each end of the car. The half ring includes a top cover plate which engages the lower half of the tank, and a lower cover plate which is vertically spaced below the top cover plate. A vertical web joins the top cover plate and the bottom cover plate. The height of the vertical web and the distance between the top cover plate and the bottom cover plate varies in accordance with the bending moment applied to the ring by the tank and lading in the car. Thus the height of the vertical web is maximum at the centerline of the car and decreases to a minimum at the sides of the car. The stub sill is welded to the upper cover plate, bottom cover plate and to the vertical web on the outboard side of the vertical web. The coupler impact loads are thus transmitted into the upper cover plate and into the tank substantially entirely in shear.

Abstract: In a container pedestal (10) a supplemental lock (42) is movable to a weighted position tending to maintain the spring (34) biased pedestal latch (22) from pivoting into a position to allow entry or exit of containers (C) from the pedestal.

Abstract: A seal is provided between an outlet mounting flange and a hopper mounting flange. The seal extends in-board of the inner hopper wall and includes a projection extending upwardly which engages the hopper wall. The seal further includes a tapered portion which extends inwardly and downwardly from the projection. Thus lading and pressure in the outlet act to urge the projection into engagement with the vertical wall and the tapered portion into engagement with its supporting surface. In one embodiment a void space is located below the projection which is compressed in assembly to create a tight fit of the seal against the hopper wall. In another embodiment an outer flange portion is provided which extends around the inner end of the hopper mounting flange to aid in positioning the seal for assembly.

Abstract: An automatic vacuum relief valve assembly includes a cover plate closing an opening in a container to the atmosphere. A valve is vertically spaced below the cover plate and closes communication between the inside of the container and the outside atmosphere. A first passageway provides fluid communication between a first surface of the valve and the outside atmosphere. A second passageway provides fluid communication between the inside of the container and a second surface of the valve. When the pressure inside the container becomes less than atmospheric pressure, atmospheric pressure will cause the valve to move away from its seat and allow air to enter the container. When the pressure is equalized, the valve is biased to return to the seated position.

Abstract: A tank vehicle lading valve assembly is provided including a lading valve mounted in an opening in the bottom of the tank which is movable vertically between open and closed positions. A valve housing or outlet chamber including an unloading spout is attached below a tank bottom mounting flange with fasteners, which preferably define a shear plane. A first operator attached to an upper portion of the lading valve extends vertically up through the tank to the upper portion of the tank where it is adapted to receive a suitable handle or tool to move the lading valve between open and closed positions. A second operator is preferably attached to a lower portion of the lading valve. The second operator portion preferably extends at least partially through the valve housing. Thus the lading valve is operable from either the top of the tank or from the bottom of the tank. The first operator may be eliminated and the lading valve operated from the bottom.

Abstract: A top operated tank car valve assembly includes a rod extending downwardly from the top of the tank and is attached to the valve stem of a lading valve located in the bottom of the tank. The stem engages a threaded valve sleeve provided with a mounting flange which engages a cooperating mounting flange on a valve cage. Fasteners engage the upper surface of the sleeve, and extend through the valve cage and engage threaded openings in a tank car bottom outlet mounting flange. The cage includes a valve seat for a valve closure. The valve seat is formed on the lower, internal surface of the valve cage, and circumferentially spaced openings are formed in the valve cage for lading flow. Laterally spaced projections extend upwardly from the lading valve closure. A valve stem retainer includes a pair of formed retainer members which define a cavity or opening.

Abstract: In a railway tank car bottom outlet lading valve assembly, an operating handle assembly for the lading valve includes an operating shaft extending vertically within a lading outlet chamber. The shaft is provided with a non-round shaft tool connection portion near the bottom thereof. An operating handle is pivotably mounted on the outlet chamber adjacent the non-round connection portion. The operating ratchet includes a handle non-round connection portion which engages the shaft non-round connection portion. A handle-storing bracket for the distal end of the operating handle is mounted upon the tank body or on an upper mounting flange portion of the outlet chamber adjacent a tank car bottom outlet mounting flange. The bracket is preferably U-shaped and includes a removable pin extending between opposite arms of the U-shaped bracket.

Abstract: In a railway car truck a lower transom extends between transversely spaced side frames. The side frames include depressed portions having transversely aligned vertical openings or slots which receive spring groups. A bolster including a center connection extends between the side frames above the transom and rests on the spring groups. The side frames each include a hollow post extending upwardly between the spring groups. The bolster includes a depending post which surrounds the side frame post. A friction damping assembly including upper and lower wedges is located within the side frame post and the bolster post. The upper and lower wedges include rear wear plates which engage the side frame post. The upper and lower wedges include an opening to receive a spring extending upwardly from the side frame depressed portion. The lower wedge has at least one inclined surface which slidingly engages at least one inclined surface on the upper wedge.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a top operated tank car valve assembly includes a rod extending downwardly from the top of the tank and attached to a valve stem of a lading valve located in the bottom of the tank. A valve seat for the lading valve is located in an opening in the tank bottom and a valve cage includes circumferentially spaced openings formed in the valve cage for lading flow. A unitary valve guide, valve closure and stem retainer is provided. The unitary element includes a lower closure portion having a hub and a circumferential slot adapted to receive a closure seal. A fastener holds a seal retainer in engagement with a seal and with the closure portion. A valve guide portion extends upwardly from the valve closure at its periphery and is generally circular for a large portion of its circumference. The guide portion includes a guide portion opening on one side. A retainer portion located radially inwardly from the guide portion extends upwardly from the closure portion.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a trailer hitch is provided including a vertical strut and a diagonal strut which support a hitch head or fifth wheel adapted to engage the kingpin of a highway trailer. Removable pins are provided at the base of the vertical strut to enable the hitch to be pivoted to the retracted position. The vertical strut includes a pair of lifting lugs located on either side of the hitch head and which are each adapted to receive a strong, flexible connection from an overhead crane. The lugs are located inboard of the combined center of mass of the hitch head and the vertical strut toward the diagonal strut a distance sufficient to cause the vertical strut to pivot inboard toward the diagonal strut when the hitch is lifted by the crane.

Abstract: The brake cylinder piston at its outer end is connected to a horizontal brake lever extending transversely of the car, which is connected generally at its mid-point to a first brake beam. The opposite end of the horizontal lever is connected to a first end of a slack adjuster which extends longitudinally and parallel to the brake cylinder. The opposite end of the slack adjuster is connected to a first end of a second horizontal lever. The opposite end of the second horizontal lever opposite the slack adjuster is fulcrumed to a fixed portion of the car. After the first brake beam engages its railway wheels, further outward movement of the piston rod pivots the first horizontal lever about this pivot point and moves the slack adjuster longitudinally of the car and in turn pivots the second horizontal lever about its fulcrum point.

Abstract: A tank car stub sill underframe is assembled by welding together a pair of angles to opposite edges of a longitudinally extending curved plate to form a generally channel-shaped section. The channel-shaped section includes a concave top plate and a pair of vertically extending legs welded to the concave top plate. Each leg includes an outwardly extending, horizontal flange at the base of each leg. The curved plate includes a first portion extending from the end of the car inboard to a point adjacent, but outboard of, the car body bolster in which the curved plate spans the distance between the vertical legs and each of the plate's transverse outer edges engage the upper end of one of the vertical legs. The curved portion includes a second or intermediate portion extending from the inner end of the first portion through the body bolster area and continuing considerably inboard of the bolster area.

Abstract: In a pneumatic discharge outlet a rotatable discharge conduit attached to a rotatable lading control valve extends outboard of the outlet end wall. Operating handles to move the lading control valve between open and closed positions are located on the discharge conduit. Laterally spaced, large headed bolts extending outwardly parallel to the discharge conduit, are threaded into respective threaded portions of the operating handles. An outlet end cap includes laterally spaced end cap lugs having openings through which the large headed bolts pass. In closed position the heads of the large headed bolts engage the end cap lugs to hold the end cap in closed position. To remove the end cap the large headed bolts are rotated an amount sufficient to free the end cap lugs from the large headed bolts so that the end cap may be removed from the discharge conduit. The large headed bolts have bolt stops attached to their inner ends to prevent removal of the bolts when the end cap is removed.

Abstract: In a pneumatic discharge outlet a rotatable discharge conduit attached to a rotatable lading control valve extends outboard of the outlet end wall. Operating handles to move a lading control valve between open and closed positions are located on the discharge conduit. Laterally spaced large headed bolts extending outwardly parallel to the discharge conduit, are threaded into respective threaded portions of the operating handles. In moving the valve element between open and closed positions, the large headed bolts move circumferentially about the hub with the handles. An outlet end cap includes laterally spaced end cap lugs having openings through which the large headed bolts pass. In closed position the heads of the large headed bolts engage the end cap lugs to hold the end cap in closed position. To remove the end cap the large headed bolts are rotated an amount sufficient to free the end cap lugs from the large headed bolts so that the end cap may be removed from the discharge conduit.

Abstract: A small hatch cover is provided which is pivotably mounted upon a hatch cover mounting bracket attached to a car roof. A hatch cover strap is also pivotably mounted upon the hatch cover mounting bracket. The hatch cover strap engages the cover at the center of the cover and at the distal end of the strap, only. At the distal end the strap extends around the cover and engages the lower surface of the cover. A sealing gasket is attached to the lower surface of the periphery of the cover. The sealing gasket engages a conventional hatch coaming extending vertically up from the car roof. Slots are preferably provided at the distal end of the cover and the strap.

Abstract: An eduction pipe assembly includes a movable eduction pipe extending downwardly from the top of the tank toward a sump located in the bottom of the tank. The eduction pipe is supported from the upper portion of the tank. In the upper portion of the tank a flexible member is sealingly attached to an upper end portion of the eduction pipe. The flexible member extends upwardly and is sealingly attached at its upper end to an opening in the top of the tank. Preferably the flexible member is located in a dome in the top of the tank and thus is not in contact with the lading for extended periods of time. Preferably the flexible member is made of a material such as stainless steel which is resistant to corrosive attack by most ladings to be transported in the tank.

Abstract: In a railway car truck a transom is provided comprising a pair of tubes rigidly connected respectively to a pair of longitudinally extending side frames. The tubes are longitudinally and vertically aligned and are located below a bolster which extends between the side frames above the transom. A bearing rigidly attached to one of the tubes extends within the other of the tubes. The external surface of the bearing is provided with low friction material to allow the side frames to rock in respective vertical planes about a transverse axis as ups and downs in the track are transversed. However, the transom resists the tendency for the side frames to move longitudinally with respect to each other, and thus maintains the truck in tram.

Abstract: In a top operated tank car valve, a mounting flange is welded to an opening in the bottom of the tank. A valve seat is located inboard of, and above the lower surface of, the mounting flange. A vertically extending cage is integrally attached to the mounting flange. A top operator extends to the top of the tank, and a stem is attached to the lower portion of the top operator. The stem extends into an opening in a valve closure plug. A non-round cavity is formed in the bottom of the stem. The closure plug includes a seat which engages the valve seat located within the mounting flange. The closure plug includes a circular guide ring which engages a portion of the vertically extending cage as the closure plug moves between open and closed positions. The closure plug includes a vertical, generally central opening which communicates with the circular head portion of the valve stem.