Abstract: A railroad hopper car gate assembly is disclosed. The gate assembly includes a frame configured for attachment to a hopper body of a railroad hopper car in material receiving relation relative to an outlet on the railroad car and defines at least one discharge opening. A door assembly is mounted on the frame for generally vertical sliding movements between open and closed positions relative to the discharge opening on said frame. A driver is operably coupled between the frame and the door assembly for selectively effecting sliding movements of the door assembly relative to said discharge opening between the open and closed positions. The driver develops a 2000 lb. opening force on the door assembly and a speed up to about 2.1 inches per second as the door assembly moves from said closed position to the open position and includes a direct current electric motor which draws less than about 30 amperes from a power source as the door assembly is moved from the closed position to the open position.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling discharge of commodity from a railcar hopper car having a centersill and two laterally spaced door assemblies arranged in registry with two transversely spaced discharge openings on a hopper of the car is disclosed. The doors of the discharge door assemblies are joined to each other by an elongated connector such that they move in unison. The apparatus includes an operating shaft rotatable about a fixed axis extending transverse to and vertically beneath the railcar centersill. A linkage system operably connects the operating shaft to the elongated connector to simultaneously push the door assemblies into their closed position in response to rotation of the operating shaft in a first direction and pulls the door assemblies from their closed position in response to rotation of the operating shaft in a reverse or second direction.

Abstract: A fastener including a body and a looking pin is disclosed. The fastener body includes an apertured base and conjoined flexible arms extending from the base and defining a passage therebetween. The locking pin is arranged for movement relative to the fastener body along a predetermined path of travel and within the aperture and the passage defined by the flexible arms. The locking pin has a predriven position and an extended driven position. A resilient lock is provided in conjunction with the fastener body and resiliently extends into the predetermined path of travel of the pin, when said locking or drive pin is in the predriven position, thereby inhibiting movement of said locking pin toward said driven position. The lock remains in position to inhibit inadvertent linear shifting of the driving pin until the flexible arms are inserted through an opening in an article with which the fastener is arranged in operable association.

Abstract: A housing for a railroad car draft gear is disclosed. The draft gear housing has an axially elongated tubular portion comprised of layers. At least one of the layers of the draft gear housing is formed from a filament wound structure or composite material, and an additional layer may be steel.

Abstract: A support system for attaching a cooking apparatus to a vehicle is disclosed. The support system includes a support defining an axis between first and second ends. The first end of the support is configured for attachment to the vehicle. The support system further includes a member connected toward the second end of and extending upwardly from the support. Moreover, the support system includes an apparatus for connecting the cooking apparatus toward a free upper end of the member extending upwardly from the support. Such apparatus includes a mechanism for permitting the cooking apparatus to be pivoted to effect leveling of a cooking surface on the cooking apparatus.

Abstract: A draft gear which has a wedge, two friction shoes, two tapered wear liners, a spring seat and a spring package. The wedge has surfaces which cooperate with surfaces on each of the friction shoes forming a first selected angle of about 40 degrees to the major axis of the draft gear housing. A second group of surfaces on the friction shoes cooperate with surfaces on the tapered wear liners to create a second selected angle of about 5 degrees with respect to the major axis of the draft gear. A third group of surfaces on the friction shoes cooperate with surfaces on the spring seat to form a third selected angle of about 65 degrees with respect to the major axis of the draft gear.

Abstract: An impact tool having a head structure including first head piece, a second head piece and an elongated handle structure. With a lengthwise section of the handle structure being arranged in operative association with and maintaining the first and second head piece of the head structure in operative combination relative to each other. A woven fiber material is arranged about and epoxied to the lengthwise section of the handle structure arranged in operative association with the first and second heads to enhance the interface therebetween.

Abstract: A hammerless attachment assembly for releasably maintaining an adapter and replaceable part or tool of a two-part digging system in operable combination relative to each other. The hammerless attachment assembly includes an insert nonrotatably fitted within a recess defined on a side of the adapter nose portion and a rotatable fastener having a head portion and an externally threaded shank portion. A lengthwise portion of the extends through an opening having a closed margin defined in a side of the tool, with the opening in the side of the tool registering with the internally threaded bore in the insert when the tool is positioned on the adapter nose portion.

Abstract: A railroad hopper car gate assembly is disclosed. The gate assembly includes a frame configured for attachment to a hopper body of a railroad hopper car in material receiving relation relative to an outlet on the railroad car and defines at least one discharge opening. A door assembly is mounted on the frame for generally vertical sliding movements between open and closed positions relative to the discharge opening on said frame. A driver is operably coupled between the frame and the door assembly for selectively effecting sliding movements of the door assembly relative to said discharge opening between the open and closed positions. The driver develops up to a 2000 lb. opening force on the door assembly and a speed up to about 2.1 inches per second as the door assembly moves from the closed position to the open position and includes a direct current electric motor which draws less than about 30 amperes from a power source as the door assembly is moved from the closed position to the open position.

Abstract: A gate assembly for a railroad hopper car is disclosed. The gate assembly includes a frame defining a discharge opening, a slidable door mounted on the frame for movement between a closed position, wherein the door closes the discharge opening, and an open position, wherein the door is positioned to allow commodity to pass through the discharge opening. Either of two modular components can be arranged in combination with the door on the gate assembly to allow the gate assembly to be conditioned for either pneumatic and/or gravitational discharge or gravitational discharge only of commodity from the gate assembly. A drive mechanism including an apparatus for selectively engaging either the door or either of the modular elements arranged in association with the door is mounted on the frame of the gate assembly, with the apparatus of the drive mechanism preferably being lost motion connected to the door.

Abstract: A gate assembly for a railroad hopper car is disclosed. The gate assembly includes a frame defining a discharge opening, a slidable door mounted on the frame for movement between a closed position, wherein the door closes the discharge opening, and an open position, wherein the door is positioned to allow commodity to pass through the discharge opening. Either of two modular components can be arranged in combination with the door on the gate assembly to allow the gate assembly to be conditioned for either pneumatic and/or gravitational discharge or gravitational discharge only of commodity from the gate assembly. A drive mechanism including an apparatus for selectively engaging either the door or either of the modular elements arranged in association with the door is mounted on the frame of the gate assembly, with the apparatus of the drive mechanism preferably being lost motion connected to the door.

Abstract: A brake system for rail cars is disclosed. The brake system includes a first source for providing a braking force to a first and a second braking apparatus, a second source for providing a separate force to the first and a second braking apparatus, and a manifold for simultaneously delivering a braking force from either the first source or the second source to the first and second braking apparatus. The manifold includes a positionable valve operable under the influence of pressure differentials applied thereto by the first source and the second source and wherein the position of the valve controls which braking force will be applied to the first and second braking apparatus. The brake system further includes a controller arranged in operable combination with the first source and the second source for inhibiting a braking force from the second source being directed to the first and the second force to the first and the second braking apparatus.

Abstract: A low profile lift apparatus including a lift platform which accommodates manufactured product on a support surface thereof and elevationally lifts the manufactured product to a vertical level or elevation generally coplanar with an elevated surface on an adjacent pallet is disclosed. The low profile lift apparatus includes a base adapted to rest on a floor with the lift platform interconnected to the base for movement between raised and lowered positions. In a lowered position, a lower surface of the lift platform rests on the floor to provide the lift assembly with a low profile. The lift apparatus of the present invention further includes an apparatus for moving the platform relative to said base. Such apparatus preferably includes circuitry for selectively moving the lift platform in a controlled fashion relative to the base.

Abstract: A discharge gate assembly for a railroad hopper car is disclosed. The gate assembly includes a frame defining a discharge opening and a gate or first element slidably carried on the frame for controlling the discharge of material from the hopper car through the discharge opening. The gate assembly further includes a second slidable element carried by the frame in vertically spaced relation relative to the first element and extending across the discharge opening. A first drive mechanism including a first operating shaft assembly is mounted on the gate frame for slidably moving the first element relative to the frame. A second drive mechanism including a second operating shaft assembly is also mounted on the gate frame for slidably moving the second element relative to the gate frame. The operating shaft assemblies are mounted for rotation about independent fixed axes and in horizontally adjacent relation relative to each other.

Abstract: An assembly for selectively closing a pneumatic discharge outlet is disclosed. Such assembly includes a closure cap which, in a closed position, fits about and partially along to cover a free end of the discharge outlet and which is movable to an open position relative to the free end of the discharge outlet. Structure connects the closure cap to one side of the free end of the discharge outlet in a manner permitting pivotal and sliding movements of the closure cap relative to the free end of the discharge outlet, and wherein the sliding movements of said closure cap are limited to a fixed path of travel relative to the discharge outlet. A manually operated lock assembly attached at an opposite side of the free end of the discharge outlet cooperates with the structure in releasably maintaining the closure cap in the closed position while allowing for one-handed operation to move the closure cap to an open position.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing an energy absorption apparatus including an elastomeric spring for a railroad car. The method involves the step of creating a predetermined wear condition in the elastomeric spring for the energy absorption apparatus preferably prior to the energy absorption apparatus being arranged in operable combination with the railroad car. A conditioning process effects permanent deformation of the elastomeric spring while maintaining the preload force developed for the energy absorption apparatus to remain at a substantially stabilized level whereby simulating a predetermined wear condition for the energy absorption apparatus.

Abstract: A lifting apparatus which is readily portable between locations and whose design allows for readily replacement and/or repair of component parts thereof to enhance both serviceability and maintenance of the lifting apparatus is disclosed. The lifting apparatus includes a support table, a base frame disposed beneath the support table, a linkage assembly for maintaining the table and the base frame in generally parallel relation relative to each other as the table moves between raised and lowered positions, and a pneumatically operated actuator for moving the table between the raised and lowered positions. The base frame of the lifting apparatus defines at least one opening for allowing tines of a moving device to be inserted therethrough, thus, allowing the lifting apparatus of the present invention to be readily transported between locations.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling discharge of material from a bottom dump railroad car having a centersill defining a longitudinal axis for the hopper car is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of longitudinally mounted discharge door assemblies. Each door assembly comprises a pair of longitudinally mounted discharge doors disposed to opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis of the car for movement between open and closed positions relative to respective discharge openings on a bottom of the car. Each discharge door is mounted for movement about an axis disposed adjacent and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car. A door operating mechanism including a positively driven actuator is carried on the hopper car for operating at least one of the discharge door assemblies independently of at least one other discharge door assembly on the car.