Abstract: A railway passenger compartment includes a seating arrangement which is convertible to elongated berths by moving oppositely disposed seats toward each other, the same being hingedly connected to seat backs which are also moved into longitudinal alignment forming berths. Stationary seat supports are provided with tracks which slidingly support cantilevered arms connected to the seats and provide basic supports for the seats when in the berth position.

Abstract: A sleeping car compartment which includes a convertible seat arrangement also usable as a bed includes a headrest positioned on a wall of the sleeping compartment above the back of the seat. The headrest includes a shaped pillow which is releasably held in the headrest position and may be removed therefrom for use on the bed when the seat arrangement is converted.

Abstract: An operating mechanism for a pair of sliding doors includes a rotatable cam actuating member for locking and unlocking one door relative to a door opening of a vehicle. The other is provided with locking bolts which are also actuated by the cam actuating member and include means selectively engageable with said locking bolts whereby both doors may be locked and unlocked simultaneously or only the first door may be so actuated.

Abstract: A side of track closure mechanism is provided for engaging and exerting an inwardly directed lateral thrust against bottom dump doors of a hopper car for hingedly moving the doors inwardly to a closed position. The actuating mechanism includes a rotating arm having actuating apparatus at one end which when placed in an index position is adapted to engage the doors of bottom dump hopper cars as they move along a track adjacent to which the closure mechanism is positioned.

Abstract: A draft gear carrier attached to the lower flanges of a hat shaped center sill comprises a flat steel plate to which are connected first and second slide or wear plates which extend substantially the width of the center sill. The slide plates are substantially identical and, in assembling of the carrier, proper assembly is assured since the carrier is reversible and either slide plate will properly support the draft gear.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated mechanism for feeding envelopes or other similar stacked articles from a stacked position into a second position where stamping, gluing or the like may be performed. The feed mechanism includes a pneumatic cylinder having a fixed piston rod and a movable cylinder driven by a slide wheel mechanism in such a manner as to create a vacuum at a reciprocating, article engaging, slide shuttle when the cylinder is moved in one direction. When the cylinder is moved in a reverse direction the vacuum is released, allowing the article engaging shuttle to return to the stacked articles for reapplying the vacuum for removing an article.

Abstract: A hinged hatch cover for the longitudinal hatch opening of a railway hopper car includes a hinged hold down arm which is adapted to be moved into a lock position relative to the hatch cover, the hold down arm including a projecting end portion which is engaged by a manually movable lever slidably supported on a pedestal, the same being engageable with the hold down arm for releasably securing the hatch cover in a lock and sealing position relative to the hatch opening.

Abstract: A vapor recovery system for a tank vehicle in which longitudinally extending hollow overturn rails are integrated with the tank, said rails providing preferably a plurality of separate passages which are connected to the tank vents and serve as collectors of volatile vapors emanating from fluids carried in the tank. The passages are connected to individual or to a central vapor collection piping which extends downwardly preferably over the side of the tank or the rear head. The piping terminates in a valve or fitting. Individual piping is used when different liquids are carried in several compartments.

Abstract: A double door installation for a railway box car includes a lever and locking bolt mechanism for one of the doors. The lever is moved to slide the locking bolt which in an unlocked position interconnects both doors by means of a latch arrangement for conjoint movement.

Abstract: A bottom door discharge mechanism for a railway hopper car includes a bell crank arm for each of the doors located in pairs at the bottom of the hopper. The arms are tripped from track side cams on opposite sides of the car for movement to open and closed positions. A safety locking mechanism is provided which during transit positively locks the arms against rotation to an open position. The locking mechanism includes arms or cam followers which are actuated from the track side opening cam thereby disengaging said locking mechanisms just prior to engagement of a second cam follower with said track side cam whereupon the bell crank levers are actuated to move the doors to their open position.

Abstract: A sliding door includes a roller lifting mechanism provided by horizontally spaced bell cranks to which rollers are connected and which may be pivoted downwardly to engage a door track for raising the door so that it may be laterally moved to one side of the door opening. The lifting mechanism includes a cam element which is manually rotated to exert a push force on the bell crank levers for pivoting the same into the lift position. A modified version of the lift mechanism includes a linkage arrangement which exerts a pulling action on the bell cranks for achieving the lifting function.

Abstract: A chassis-to-container locking arrangement includes a housing defined by the lateral end extensions of the chassis bolster member thereby providing coupling assemblies at the four corners thereof. Each housing includes a twist lock arrangement which is operated by a horizontally swingable locking arm selectively operated whereby the twist locks are held in a raised open position or in a lowered closed position. The operating arm is rotatable in a slot provided in the housing. An operating member or locking rod is selectively movable and includes camming projections which lock the twist locks in locked position the same camming assemblies including stop members accommodating corner castings having a base of variable thickness.

Abstract: A railway car door arrangement is provided with a lock mechanism positioned toward the upper ends of the doors so as to be remote from the track level and thus will discourage pilferage. The mechanism includes a hasp which is pivotally mounted for swinging movement on a projecting portion of a door and which is engageable with a keeper socket supported either on an adjacent door, in the case of a two-door arrangement, or on the door frame of the box car side wall. The keeper includes a socket for receiving an end portion of a hasp and suitable locking projections are adapted to receive a cable or lock for further locking the hasp in closed position.

Abstract: A door actuating mechanism for hopper cars includes a pivoted lever moved in response to a cam situated along the track on which a railway car travels. In order to provide for proper door opening under all conditions, a secondary cam is also provided which is engaged by a cam follower which provides a positive laterally directed force for pulling the lever and the door to its open position.

Abstract: A railway box car side includes a door opening having a sliding door arrangement with a conventional hasp locking device provided at the lower portions of the door so as to be readily accessible to a person standing at track level. The door arrangement, which may be of a single or double door type, includes an anti-pilferage lock which is positioned near the upper ends of the doors so as to be relatively inaccessible except when the box car has arrived at a loading platform. The anti-pilferage lock includes a keeper positioned on one of the doors in a two door arrangement or the said keeper is positioned on the door post of the car opening in a single door arrangement. The keeper includes an outwardly projecting hook-shaped wall arrangement having a vertical recess. A latch support is positioned on one of the doors and includes a vertical guideway in which a latch device provided with an arm and slide member is slidingly positioned.

Abstract: A railway hopper car is provided with bottom discharge doors which include an opening and closing mechanism for each of the doors. The mechanism comprises a bell crank lever and linkage arrangement which in the closed position assumes an over-center lock position. The doors are initially actuated to an open position for affecting gravity discharge by means of a track side cam. A second closing cam structure is provided, which, as the car passes therethrough on opposite sides of the track, the bell crank lever and linkage mechanism is again moved to its closed over-center position locking the doors. The closing cam includes a spring actuated portion built into the cam face which is adapted to assist in the operation of the bell crank lever again moving to its over-center position.

Abstract: A strengthening rib and bead means in a vertical mounting bracket for securing the leg of a semi-trailer landing gear to the trailer underframe and adaptable to a variety of associated landing gear mechanisms. The bracket includes an integral flange horizontally extending from its upper end couplable with the trailer underframe and a vertical plate portion couplable with the gear leg. Strengthening ribs are integrally formed in a portion of the flange and extend diagonally to the plate and vertically extending reinforcement beads are integrally formed in the vertical plate on both sides of three enlarged apertures provided in the plate through which an associated landing gear mechanism may be selectively extended.

Abstract: A railroad car maximum speed limiting device including a railroad car wheel-driven generator and centrifugal speed responsive switch for operating a solenoid valve to supply vacuum to the vehicle brakes from an auxiliary vacuum reservoir after the vehicle has passed a magnetic trip operating a relay to complete the genertor circuit, the improvement comprising an air cylinder operated by trainline vacuum for moving the generator and centrifugal speed responsive switch wheel out of engagement with the car wheel for trainline operation, and a special shuttle valve on the cylinder for supplying braking vacuum to the cylinder alternately from the speed control auxiliary vacuum reservoir or from the main conventional vacuum reservoir.

Abstract: A railway gondola car includes a depressed floor section with underframe cross members placed below the centersill, with the cross members extending completely across the width of the car. The opposite ends of the gondola car are provided with elevated floors and the car includes a simplified and reinforced construction for minimizing structural damage to the car during operation.

Abstract: A fifth wheel plate assembly for a trailer hitch for securing trailers to railway flat cars includes a top plate having an opening in which a movable clamp or lock jaw is supported for grasping and locking the kingpin of a trailer to the fifth wheel. The lock jaw is provided with slidable extensions which are engaged by a lock screw mounted below the fifth wheel plate and which moves the lock jaw between open and closed positions. When in a closed position a slidable bolt assembly is movable transversely of the extensions into keeper openings within the extensions for maintaining the locking jaw in its closed position. The locking bolt is slidable in a tube provided with a diagonal recess which accommodates the stem of a manually operated handle for sliding the locking bolt. A flag or indicator is pivotally mounted underneath the top plate on an axis parallel to the axis of the locking bolt. The indicator includes an arm at one end and a flag at the other end.