Abstract: A semi-monocoque or stressed skin cargo vehicle uses plates interconnected and reinforced by flanged side posts and the plates are sandwiched between by top and bottom rails and the posts, the flanges being of substantially the same thickness as the plates.

Abstract: A gate assembly for closing and opening a bottom discharge opening of a railway car hopper, the gate assembly comprising upper and lower plates with cooperating wedges thereon wherein the hopper is provided with an elastomeric sealing ring about the discharge opening and the lower plate moves the upper plate evenly upwardly against the sealing ring, the wedges being spread over extensive vertically aligned areas of the plates so that upper plate is urged evenly upwardly into sealing contact about its borders with the sealing ring.

Abstract: A king pin locking plate assembly having a locking plate provided on the underside with a pair of cooperating jaws pivotally supported under the locking plate and being urged into open position by a spring member positioned between the two jaws, the two jaws having a frontal portion facing a king pin, the frontal portion defining a lock surface which is adapted to be abutted by a free end of a jaw lock pivotally supported in the king pin receiving slot by a pivot which engages a bifurcated end of the jaw lock. A jaw lock stop is situated in the bifurcated end of the jaw lock and, because of its internal elongated opening, is capable of maintaining the jaw lock in either a king pin securing position or in a king pin releasing position.

Abstract: A railway car side panel assembly with upright support posts forming the side walls of the car wherein painted or galvanized panels are protected from rusting by plastic inserts positioned between the corners of the panels and metal brackets on the posts to prevent vibration-abrasion of the galvanizing or paint and of the corners to rust, the plastic inserts being of flexible plastic material and formed as envelopes pocketing the corners and fitting into the complementary brackets, the envelopes each having a side wall with a retainer bottom snapped over flange edges of the panel to hold the envelope from falling off during assembly with the brackets.

Abstract: This invention relates to a low profile collapsible hitch for use in securing a container or a trailer on a transport carrier having a vertical strut assembly having an upper end for supporting a king pin receiving plate and a lower end pivotally secured by a pivot mount assembly secured to a deck of the transport carrier, a diagonally extending strut assembly having an upper end pivotally connected to the upper end of the vertical strut assembly and having a lower end pivotally connected to a locking hook assembly which is slidable along the surface of the deck, an anchor for limiting the movement of the diagonal strut assembly during erection of said apparatus, a pair of lock blocks engageable by the locking hook assembly for locking the vertical strut assembly in erected position, the anchor and the lock blocks defining therebetween a path for reciprocal movement of the lower end of the diagonally extending support strut assembly, and release members associated with each of the lock blocks and cooperativel

Abstract: The disclosed invention is a rolling conductor support for supporting a conductor between a stationary supply and a moving consumer or parts of machinery moving relative to each other. The rolling conductor support includes a plurality of chains. Each chain includes a number of follower links, lubricating members, control links, connecting pins and a planar toothed fasteners. Each follower link has three follower orifices at either end of the link and the follower orifices are substantially perpendicluar to a longitudinal axis of the follower link. The lubricating member is located between the follower link and the control link and includes lubricating orifices conformal with the follower orifices. The control link includes two arcuate control slots having a radius of curvature about a center where a control pivot orifice is located. The follower links are clevised about the lubricating members and the control links.

Abstract: An adjustable guide for a railway well car has a fixed guide for centering containers of a wide standard width during loading, and a retractable guide associated with and placed below the fixed guide for centering and positioning of containers of a narrower standard width. The positioning of the guides one below the other provides a stepped guide arrangement for incrementally guiding the container as it enters the well of the car.

Abstract: A latch is disclosed which is both rugged and economical. The latch includes a flanged housing which acts as a bushing for a journal portion of an operator. The operator includes a narrowed and recessed handle portion. At the inner end of the operator, a generally planar striker is placed to the interior of a door to interact with the frame. The striker rotates with respect to the housing and is limited in rotation by a stop which interacts with the housing. The striker is secured to the operator by connector means to prevent relative movement between them. The housing is fixed to the door by securement means which draws the flange of the housing against the exterior of the door.

Abstract: The fuzz blower power tube of the present invention disclosed herein agitates floats in generally non laminar fluid flow to cause the floats to acquire a static charge. The charged floats repel each other and may cling to portions of the tube of opposite charge. The fuzz blower power tube includes as principal components a ventilated container, fluid, fan, motor and floats. The ventilatd container has an intake for receiving fluid within the container and an exhaust for expelling the fluid which flows through at least one of the means. The fan, causes the fluid to flow and transport the floats from a upstream to a downstream position and collide with each other and other portions of the container.

Abstract: An animal safety belt disclosed herein includes, an upper and a lower restraint, a front and a rear strap, a binding loop and a selective binding strap. Each is fabricated from woven webbing. The upper restraint is of predetermined length having a plurality of loops for inserting the straps therethrough and is adapted to be disposed adjacent the spine of the animal. The lower restraint is of predetermined length having a plurality of loops for inserting the straps therethrough and is adapted to be disposed adjacent the stomach and chest of the animal. The front strap is secured to the upper and lower restrainsts by being passed through forward loops. A buckle, disposed to an end of the front strap, adjusts the front loop circumference. The rear strap is attached to a rearward loop of said upper restraint and a corresponding loop of said lower restraint and also has a buckle for adjusting the circumference of a rear loop.

Abstract: A railway car side panel assembly with upright support posts forming the side walls of the car wherein painted or galvanized panels are protected from rusting by plastic inserts positioned between the corners of the panels and metal brackets on the posts to prevent vibration-abrasion of the galvanizing or paint and of the corners to rust, the plastic inserts being of flexible plastic material and formed as envelopes pocketing the corners and fitting into the complementary brackets, said envelopes each having a side wall with a retainer bottom snapped over flange edges of the panel to hold the envelope from falling off during assembly with the brackets.

Abstract: The hatch of a lading container, such as the hopper of a covered hopper car, is sealed by a hatch cover having a locking arrangement which prevents the hatch cover from being blown open by pressure within the hopper when the locking arrangement is unlocked. An over-center locking arm has two spaced catches which co-act with two latches on a latching arrangement to selectively provide a sealed, a pressure blow-off, and a hatch open position. A rotative adjustment is provided to enable adjustment of the sealing pressure of the hatch cover on the hatch.

Abstract: Air flow guide members at each end of the cargo carrying structure of an open top gondola type railway car, together with rounded transition or corner surfaces on the exterior of the car and aerodynamically shaped and oriented cross braces within the car serve to reduce aerodynamic drag on the car as it is moved. Additionally, to further enhance the energy efficiency of the car, the cargo carrying structure is formed predominately of a light weight weldable metal, such as an aluminum alloy, and the side support members are placed on the interior wall of each side to provide a smooth, minimized air flow resistant side surface.

Abstract: A rear pivot mount assembly for a fifth wheel hitch assembly for railway cars has a multiplanar support beam which coacts with a transverse support plate to tie together and rigidify the components of the pivot mount. The multiplanar support beam and transverse support plate affectively transfer loads imposed upon a pivotal connection to the outside of a center sill which provides the longitudinal and load bearing support for the railway car.

Abstract: A railway car underframe center sill includes a drawbar structure which includes a rigid housing structure adapted to fit into the cushion pocket of the sill supporting the cushion. The rigid housing is readily removable if desired and includes a rigid end plate having a truncated opening which contains a truncated hemispherical reaction member which pivots in any direction. The drawbar is supported on the center sill for movement in true rotation and is provided at its inner end with an impact head at all times in flush contact with the hemispherical reaction member. The end of the drawbar includes a drawbar key structure secured in place by means of the draft key. The housing structure is securely maintained in position against a stop by a wedge member which is self-adjusting downwardly as wear may occur and thus insures a contact rigid effective assembly.This assembly provides a slackless condition in the drawbar attachment between companion units of a railway freight car.