Abstract: Cargo carried on freight cars such as flat bed railway cars is secured in place by lading strapping that is tensioned around the cargo so as to compress a snubber unit of an integral, telescoping quick-release device that includes a sleeve slidably mounted in a housing secured directly to the side of the freight car, which sleeve is locked in a collapsed condition within the housing and unlocked to move between the collapsed condition and a telescoping condition, the sleeve having therewithin an anchor rod that telescopes from the sleeve in opposition to bias provided by the snubber unit. Unlocking of the quick-release device substantially reduces tension within the lading strapping before it is removed from the cargo.

Abstract: Cargo carried on freight cars such as flat bed railway cars is secured in place by lading strapping that is tensioned around the cargo so as to compress a snubber unit on a self-resetting lading tie anchor and snubbing device that includes a snubber mechanism and a lading tie anchor assembly slidably mounted in a housing secured directly to the side sill of the freight car, which anchor assembly is locked in an automatically retracted position to automatically reset the device when it drops into the housing due to the force of gravity to bring a latch into operative interengagement with the snubbing device. At this position, lading strapping is passed through a lading tie anchor that moves generally upwardly as tension is applied to the lading strapping in opposition to bias provided by the snubber mechanism.

Abstract: Cargo carried on freight cars such as flat bed railway cars is secured in place by lading strapping that is tensioned around the cargo so as to compress a snubber unit of a self-resetting lading tie anchor and snubbing device that includes a snubber mechanism and a lading tie anchor assembly slidably mounted in a housing secured directly to the side sill of the freight car, which anchor assembly is locked in an automatically retracted position to automatically reset the device when it drops into the housing due to the force of gravity, at which position lading strapping is passed through a lading tie anchor that moves generally upwardly as tension is applied to the lading strapping in opposition to bias provided by the snubber mechanism. Unlocking of the anchor assembly quickly releases the device to substantially reduce tension within the lading strapping before it is removed from the cargo.

Abstract: A latch mechanism mounted on the roof of a hopper car is arranged to hold a pivoted hatch cover in closed position over a trough in the roof of the car and has outer and inner spaced flanges upstanding with respect to the roof with a keeper therebetween having a laterally and downwardly extending configuration at the top for latching engagement with an element of the cover and mounted for translatory and pivotal movement under the control of a lever which is pivotally mounted between the outer flange and keeper and provided with a lock to hold the handle of the lever in its hatch cover closing position.

Abstract: Lading tie anchor installed by welding a tie bar in a scoop in a doorpost channel or the side lining of a steel-lined box car or the like. The lading tie anchor installation includes a tie bar which has a repetitive series of novel formations in its length which impart to it adequate strength while being formed of a relatively light gauge metal strip. The scoop and lading tie anchor have cooperative locator formations therein which facilitate fast and accurate installation.

Abstract: A lever operated lock mechanism for a hopper door is provided which is especially suitable for use on railway hopper cars having hinged double doors. Included in the lock mechanism is a hook assembly which is pivotally mounted on a housing secured to the door frame or slope sheet of the hopper. A keeper assembly is attached to the spreader bar joining the double doors for engaging the hook assembly, this engagement being at either of two saddle formations or notches, the first or catch saddle formation being engaged when the lock mechanism is in a catch position, and the second or closed saddle formation being engaged when the lock mechanism is in a fully closed position. Movement between the catch position and the fully closed position is greatly facilitated by fulcrum means for receiving a lever bar by which a workman can readily close the hopper doors.

Abstract: Pipe anchor for anchoring pipes to structural members and particularly for anchoring air lines and train pipes to structural members in the underframes of railway cars. Each anchor is a combination of three cooperating parts, namely, an adapter, a base, and a clamp. The adapter is the part that is attached to a structural member preferably by welding. The base is in the form of a saddle which seats on the pipe-engaging section of the adapter and has opposed sides which embrace a pipe on opposite sides and terminate in outturned, inclined, longitudinal flanges. The clamp engages the pipe diametrically opposite from the adapter and has inwardly opening inclined, longitudinal channels adapted to slide over the outturned flanges and draw the three-part assembly into equi-spaced four-point embracing support contact with the pipe.

Abstract: There is provided an improved safety support for adjustable mounting on brake beams of railway cars for supporting one end of a bottom connecting rod should it become detached from the brake rigging. A flexible cable is supported by a cable retainer mounted on the side of a brake beam. The cable passes under one end of a bottom connecting rod with the ends of the cable extending generally upwardly through passageways on opposite ends of the cable retainer. Sleeve stops or other enlargements are crimped or otherwise secured to the ends of the cable so as to prevent the cable ends from being withdrawn downwardly through the passageways. The cable retainer has a plurality of holes so that it may be mounted in various positions on the brake beam thereby allowing the cable to be adjusted to several different elevations. By providing the cable with additional sleeve stops it can in effect be shortened to different effective lengths.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for a hopper door is provided which is especially suitable for use on railway hopper cars having hinged double doors. Included in the lock mechanism is a hook which is mounted on an outside hopper sheet and which is pivotable for engaging extensions of a spreader bar joining the double doors. The hook, being mounted through a slot therein, in addition to being pivotal is also slidable through a limited slaping path that is generally parallel to the floor of the hopper, such slidable action enabling the doors to be held at either a "catch" position or a fully closed position. The lock mechanism positively positions the doors with opening and closing operations. An especially secure lock, one which maintains door closure even when the railway car is rotated is attained when a latch having a spring-like projection holds each hook and thus the hopper doors in their fully closed positions.

Abstract: There is provided an improved safety support for adjustable mounting on brake beams of railway cars for supporting one end of a bottom connecting rod should it become detached from the brake rigging. In one modification attachment, pieces are arranged to be mounted at different elevations on a brake beam for supporting the upper ends of the safety support. In other modifications, attachment pieces are arranged for different angular mounting positions and/or different elevations in conjunction with separate positioning brackets. In still another modification right and left hand L-shaped attachment pieces have a plurality of holes in their vertical legs for mounting at different elevations and the distal ends of their horizontal legs overlap and are interconnected.

Abstract: A lock-down mechanism for a hinged hatch cover having a lock strap with an arm portion projecting laterally over a hopper car roof on the side of the hatchway opposite the hatch cover hinge. An operating lever is pivotally mounted at one end on an upstanding support on the car roof and positioned adjacent one side of the arm portion when the hatch cover is closed. A pawl is pivotally mounted on the operating lever and has a foot portion and a latching portion. The foot portion engages the top side of the press-down arm when the locking mechanism is in its closed condition with the hatch cover fully closed. The latching portion of the pawl engages a formation on the lever support when the mechanism is in locking condition, this latter engagement resulting from an over-center or toggle-like action.

Abstract: Air hose couplings for railway cars are prevented from uncoupling by wire form locking means reacting between the body of one coupling and the lip of the other coupling. In certain embodiments a wire form is an integral part of the air hose coupling assembly and has a laterally extending arm for manual unlocking. In another embodiment a detachable bifurcated wire form is applied to coupled air hose couplings after a train is made up and may be discarded when the respective cars are uncoupled. Alternatively, the detachable wire form also can be mounted on the clamp that secures the air hose to the coupling, or on a clamp that fits over the hose clamp, or mounted directly on the main body portion of a coupling.