Abstract: A refrigerated railcar having a bunker for holding CO.sub.2 snow generated by a spray manifold temporarily hooked up to a supply of liquid CO.sub.2, the bunker allowing the gaseous CO.sub.2 sublimated from the formed snow to pass down through vents and into an improved underfloor flow channeled floor which provides a maze-like structure to cool an underside of the cargo. Additionally, an improved insulated manifold pipe hanger is described. Additionally, an improvement in the venting arrangement of the bunker area and an improved configuration of the manifold orifices to provide a more evenly deposited snow thickness throughout the bunker during charging is described.

Abstract: A novel purge system for a string of tank cars wherein purge gas is directly introduced into the vapor space of each tank above the cargo in the tank and wherein the purge gas is not bubbled through the cargo but is supplied directly to the vapor space above the cargo and forces the cargo out the vent pipe at the end of the car to the next car to successively assure that the proper level of cargo and the proper pressure of the purge gas is maintained in all of the cars. Since the gas is not bubbled through the cargo, gas will not be stored in the cargo and the pressure requirements will be substantially reduced as compared to bubbling through the commodity and the volume of gas required will be reduced due to the lower pressure and elimination of potential absorption which may occur when the bubbling method is utilized.

Abstract: A hopper vehicle has a hopper door movable between open and closed positions and carrying a door latch movable between latching and unlatching configurations with respect to a keeper on the hopper vehicle. A secondary latch on the door is pivotally movable between a latched condition engageable with a keeper on the door latch for holding it in its unlatching configuration and an unlatched condition accommodating movement of the door latch between its latching and unlatching configurations. A spring urges the secondary latch toward its latched condition and an actuator plate on the hopper vehicle drives the secondary latch to its unlatched condition in response to movement of the door to its closed position. Thus, the door latch is held in its unlatching configuration except when the door is closed.

Abstract: Railroad tank cars are provided with spirally wound cylindrical tanks spanning and supported on wheeled trucks with a continuous weld extending the full length of the tank. A steel plate ribbon or strip is spirally wound in the form of a right circular cylinder with a continuous weld bonding the edges of the strip in abutted relation to provide the tank side wall. The open ends of the resulting cylinder tube are closed by welded-on end caps and suitable openings are provided in the tube for manways, vents, valves and the like. A heating coil may be provided on the inside or outside of the tank in intimate contact with the spirally wound ribbon and conventional insulation and jacketing may be provided around the tank. Drop center and center sump tank are provided by cutting the spirally wound tube along a diagonal plane, rotating adjoining sections 180.degree.

Abstract: A novel ball valve type purging device for a tank train ball valve purging device wherein a one-way valve is connected in an upper portion of a long vertical interconnecting pipe between adjacent cars of a string of tank cars so as to let gas pass from the long vent pipe into the top of the tank car and eliminates or minimizes the necessity to blow gas or air through the car commodity during purging of the interconnects and greatly reduces the pressure and quantities of purge gas required. The structure of the invention effectively eliminates the limitation on the length of a string of cars due to the purging requirements and the reduction of the quantity of purge gas substantially reduces the cost of purging particularly wherein inert or bottled gas such as nitrogen is utilized.

Abstract: The tank of a railway tank car is supported adjacent to its opposite ends on two truck-mounted underframes, each underframe including a pair of body bolster plates disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tank and having an upper edge spaced well above the associated truck. Cover plates extend along the outer edges of the body bolster plates substantially perpendicular thereto and projecting upwardly above the upper edges thereof. Each body bolster plate has a rectangular notch in the upper edge thereof spaced closely adjacent to the outer surface of the tank. A lifting lug extends along each upper edge from the cover plate to the slabbing to close the upper end of the notch and define an opening to receive an associated lifting lug. Each lug has a broad inner end against the tank slabbing.

Abstract: One or a series of wheeled tank cars for carrying a commodity which must be heated for effective handling and which produces noxious gases when heated is provided with a closed vapor recovery system, including valved lines respectively associated with each tank car, for safely venting said gases to a remote recovery sink away from operating personnel as the commodity is heated in the one or more tank cars prior to unloading or during the filling operation. An upper heating coil system is also disclosed for melting away solidified commodity from upper tank fittings prior to operation of said fittings in the unloading or loading operation for reliable flow handling therethrough and operation of their valves.

Abstract: The tank of a railway tank car has two top-mounted lading conduits coupled thereto in fluid communication therewith. One of the lading conduits has the inner end thereof disposed at the minimum fill level of the tank. A vapor vent fitting is also formed in the tank, to which any one of a plurality of different-length vent pipes can selectively removably be mounted with the inner ends thereof disposed at different levels between the maximum and minimum fill levels of the tank. The vent pipe communicates with the one lading conduit above the maximum fill level of the tank. An access opening is provided so that the vent pipe can be reached and changed from outside the tank.In one embodiment the vent pipe communicates with the one lading conduit inside the tank and access thereto is had through the one lading conduit. In another embodiment the vent pipe communicates with the one lading conduit inside the tank, but access thereto is had through a separate access opening in the tank.

Abstract: A railway hopper car has a through center sill including an elongated central section substantially A-shaped in transverse cross section, two end sections substantially hat-shaped in transverse cross section and two transition sections respectively connecting said end sections to the adjacent ends of the central section. The central section has upper and lower parts, each of which may comprise a plurality of subsections arranged in end-to-end relationship. Each transition section includes a transition member rectangular at one end for mating with the end section and trapezoidal at the other end for mating with the lower part of the central section. Each transition section also includes an inverted V-shaped top reinforcing member and a horizontal bottom reinforcing plate. Alternative forms of the lower part of the central section are disclosed.

Abstract: A railway car for transporting pulverulent lading includes a fluid-tight container, slope sheets mounted within the container defining two troughs leading to a sump in the lower portion of the container, two aligned permeable conveyors in the bottom of each trough, an apparatus for alternately aerating each permeable conveyor in each trough for fluidizing the lading to facilitate movement thereof into the sump. Discharge valve structure is provided below the sump for pneumatically unloading the container pipe for pressurizing the space between the slope sheets and the container, and a pipe interconnecting the top of the container and the discharge valve structure for conveying air from within the container to the discharge valve structure during unloading of the container, are also provided.

Abstract: A heated railway tank car includes heating conduits arranged on the tank and filled with a heating fluid and coupled to an electrically driven pump and heat exchanger in a closed-loop system for heating and continuously recirculating the heating fluid through the conduit. The tank car is adapted to be electrically interconnected with adjacent cars and the electric power may be provided from the locomotive, from an axle generator and alternator combination on the tank car, or from rechargeable batteries on the tank car charged by either terminal facilities or axle-mounted or locomotive-mounted generator means.

Abstract: A railway train including a plurality of interconnected tank cars, each car comprising a tank with a lading conduit extending the length thereof and having first and second pipes communicating with the interior of the tank with one of the pipes extending to the bottom of the tank and the other terminating adjacent to the top of the tank, the lading conduits of adjacent cars being interconnected by flexible connecting conduits; valve mechanism in the lading conduits and the first and second pipes for closing the lading conduit between the first and second pipes and opening the first and second pipes during loading of fluid lading into the tank and during unloading of fluid lading from the tank and for closing the first and second pipes during transporting of the tank; also disclosed is a loading system and an unloading system for a train of such tank cars.

Abstract: A safety device for a pressure vessel having an opening therein in which is positioned an upstanding base secured around the vessel opening with a frangible diaphragm covering the opening. A protective cap covers the base with the frangible diaphragm and has a central aperture therein covered by a transparent material providing continuous visibility of the frangible diaphragm. The protective cap has an internal annular seat to retain the frangible diaphragm in place and spaced apart fasteners maintain the cap fixedly connected to the base.

Abstract: A railway train comprised of interconnected tank cars, each provided with two lading conduits coupled to and in fluid communication with the tank car. A baffle is positioned in the tank car intermediate the lading conduits to provide an automatic outage for the tank car. Liquid lading introduced into the tank car through one of the lading conduits fills the tank car thereby trapping gas vapor resulting in overflow of the liquid lading into the next tank car to fill the tank train seriatim.

Abstract: The macerator-sterilizer sewage treatment system, that is useful in an overall toilet system to collect, treat and discharge toilet wastes, comprises: macerator/transfer pump means to receive flushed human waste from toilets and urinals; a collection tank connected by conduit means to the outlet of the pump means; a sterilization tank connected by power-operated valved transfer means and transfer pump means to the collection tank; heater means in the sterilization tank; power-operated valved discharge means connected to an outlet of the sterilization tank; and electrical means to control the operation of the macerator/transfer pump means, of the transfer pump means between the collection tank and the sterilization tank, of the heater means, of the power-operated valved discharge means connected to the outlet of the sterilization tank and of the power-operated valved transfer means.

Abstract: A railway train includes a plurality of interconnected tank cars, each car comprising a tank provided with two lading conduits in the top thereof extending thereinto for communication with the interior thereof and each having an outer end extending above the tank and toward the adjacent end thereof and terminating inboard of the adjacent tank car end, the lading conduits of adjacent cars being interconnected by flexible connecting conduits; one lading conduit extends diagonally downwardly and terminates near the bottom of the tank for filling and/or eduction unloading thereof with the other lading conduit terminating near the top of the tank for venting and filling of an adjacent tank and for automatically determining the outage of the tank. An inlet and outlet assembly may be mounted in the bottom of the tank providing a sump in registry with the bottom terminal portion of the eduction conduit.

Abstract: A railway tank car is provided for interconnection in fluid communication with associated tank cars. Each of the tank cars includes a tank mounted on a chassis structure with two lading conduits respectively coupled to the tank, each having an outer end extending outwardly from the tank adjacent to the top thereof and at least one having an inner end extending into the tank and terminating near the bottom thereof. A vapor vent is connected to the tank to vent gas vapors produced during loading. The vent is closed by a valve actuated by a control mechanism in response to a level sensing means which determines the level of liquid lading in the tank. The tank car or train may be loaded or unloaded from either end thereof since the cars can have symmetrical internal piping, and, similarly the gas vapor may be collected from either end of the tank car or train.

Abstract: A railway train made up of individual tank cars for interconnection and fluid communication with associated-like tank cars by flexible connecting conduits, wherein each tank car includes a wheeled chassis structure provided with coupling means for coupling adjacent tank cars. A tank is mounted on the chassis structure and has two lading conduits respectively coupled to the tank and in fluid communication therewith, each of the lading conduits having an outer end extending outwardly from the tank adjacent to the top thereof. Each of the lading conduits is connected to a vent conduit and to an eduction conduit with the vent conduit extending into the tank and having the inner end thereof terminating a predetermined distance from and near the top of the tank and with the eduction conduit extending into the tank and having the inner end thereof terminating near the bottom of the tank.

Abstract: A proportioning device is provided for use with a sealable chamber for unloading pulverulent material from a bulk transport system which includes a fluid inlet conduit having one terminal end in communication with the chamber for transmitting fluid into the chamber for fluidizing the pulverulent material therein, a fluid outlet conduit having one terminal end in communication with the chamber for transmitting fluidized solids therefrom. The proportioning device is in communication with the other terminal end of the fluid inlet conduit and with the fluid outlet conduit and is adapted to be connected to a source of fluid for supplying the fluid to the fluid inlet conduit and the fluid outlet conduit, the fluid proportioning device being responsive to the fluid pressures in the fluid conduits for proportioning the fluid into the fluid inlet conduit and the fluid outlet conduit to maintain a predetermined ratio between the fluid pressures in the fluid inlet conduit and the fluid outlet conduit.