Abstract: A support arrangement for brake rods of railroad car brake rigging comprising a U-shaped support member suspended from the underside of the car, a slotted sleeve snap fitted on the brake rod and located to rest on the bight portion of the support member, with the slot facing upwardly, and a retainer member comprising a shank portion received in said slot and having its end portions extending beyond the ends of the sleeve and enlarged to embrace the upwardly facing side of the brake rod on either side of the sleeve slot, with the retainer member end portions being bonded to the brake rod. The sleeve is formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer material that is of dry self-lubricating nature and resists adherence thereto of foreign materials and serves as a sound deadener and energy absorber. Such material is also characterized by its polishing action on the brake rod support surface it rides on to reform same to define a mirror finish that substantially inhibits further wear on the support during use.

Abstract: A self lubricating liner for railroad car center plate assemblies comprising a bowl shaped member formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer of dry self lubricating characteristics and shaped to define a floor portion and an upstanding side wall. The liner is stretch resistant and is received within the trunk bolster bowl on the floor of the bowl, it being proportioned to be fit on the bolster center plate and to entirely fill the space between the truck bolster bowl and the body bolster center plate 360.degree. about the side wall of the bowl to preclude high energy impacts between these parts when coupler impacts and train line action are occasioned. The liner side wall is formed to be spaced from the top surfacing of the bowl side wall and make a tight seal about the neck of the bolster center plate. In use, the liner effects resurfacing action on the surfaces engaging same to make them effectively resistant against wear.

Abstract: A self lubricating wear plate arrangement for supporting the inner end of the vertical yoke used in coupler draft gear rigging in which the wear plate is in the form of a planar support plate equipped with a special liner for supporting the yoke inner end at its operative level within the car center sill. The liner is formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer material that is of dry, self lubricating, nature and resists adherence thereto of foreign materials and serves as a sound deadener and energy absorber. Such material is also characterized by its polishing action on the yoke underside surface portion riding on same to re-form such yoke surface to define a mirror finish for inhibiting further wear of the yoke at this location during use.

Abstract: An uncoupling device for rotary dump cars in which the car couplers are of the bottom operating type, wherein at each end of the car the uncoupling mechanism is made of the same type, and comprising both the rotary and non-rotary couplers of the car being equipped with paddle type lock lifters having a pivotal operating stroke that unlocks and opens the coupler knuckle, and a bail type actuator therefor, wherein the actuator comprises a bail member mounted on the end of the car to receive the car center sill and swing about a horizontal axis extending crosswise of the car and located at approximately the level of the top of the car center sill and inwardly of its striker. The bail member has a striker section that underlies the center sill and is equipped with a paddle striker that is arced to accommodate coupler side swing.

Abstract: An uncoupling lever arrangement for railway cars equipped with standard draft gear cushioning including an uncoupling lever assembly comprising a handle section and a lock lifter section, each including an elongate bar formed from tube stock of quadrilateral transverse cross-sectional configuration. The handle section has a U-shaped handle affixed to one end of its bar at the outboard end of the lever assembly, which handle is mounted in the car body bracket, and the lock lifter section bar has a lock lifter rod member affixed to the inboard end of same that is formed with the usual hook eye formed for conventional application to the coupler lock lifter. The lever assembly bars are of complementary configuration whereby one end of one of the bars is received in the other end of the other bar to support the bars, and thus the lever assembly, in their operative position from the car body bracket and the coupler lock lifter.

Abstract: An outlet assembly for application to hoppers of railroad hopper cars and the like in the form of a frame made up of spaced pairs of longitudinal and transverse frame members joined together and shaped to define a continuation of the hopper car sheets, and slidably mounting a door plate or gate for movement between open and closed positions, in which the gate is a planar member of one piece molded construction formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer and includes integral racks on either side of same that mesh with pinions journaled in the frame and reversably drivable, using conventional power equipment or the like, to move the gate between closed and opened positions. The gate assembly is equipped with a sanitary top seal that is in wiping engagement with the gate and is arranged to permit the lading when present to help provide the sealing action at the gate.

Abstract: An uncoupling lever assembly for railroad cars that includes an uncoupling lever with an improved slideway arrangement for accommodating extension and contraction of the lever assembly, which lever assembly comprises a handle section and a lock lifter section each including an elongate rectilinear bar. The handle section bar has an operating handle affixed to one end of same for pivotal connection to the car and the lock lifter section bar has a lock lifter rod member affixed to one end of same having a hook eye adapted for application to the coupler lock lifter. The lock lifter bar has secured to one side of same adjacent its other end a single elongate tubular member that defines a single slideway for the lever assembly having self-lubricating antifriction characteristics in which the handle section bar is slidably received.