Abstract: An outlet gate assembly for a hopper type railway car includes a frame adapted to be mounted on an outlet opening in the rail car and a gate in the frame. A conventional rack and pinion opening and closing drive moves the gate between open and closed positions on the frame. An inertial latch mechanism latches the gate in the fully closed position. Actuation of the opening and closing drive displaces the latch to automatically unlatch the gate. Upon impact, an inertial mass generates a latching force holding the latch closed and preventing opening of the gate.

Abstract: A rail car buffer includes a standard capsule body and a high pressure hydraulic buffer spring only in the body. The hydraulic spring has a high compression ratio and is charged with very high pressure gas and hydraulic oil.

Abstract: A rail car buffer has a capsule body and a spring assembly with an elastomer spring and a gas filled hydraulic spring in the body. Expansion of the buffer after collapse is snubbed by the gas filled hydraulic spring to convert energy stored in the elastomer spring to heat.

Abstract: A double acting center-of-car cushioning device mounted in the sliding sill of a rail car includes two pistons and rods, two pressure cylinders and mirror image sets of flow orifices in the pressure cylinders. The piston rods extend out from ends of the pressure cylinders and engage a fixed sill of the rail car. Movement of the pistons within the pressure cylinders forces fluid through the flow orifices resulting in efficient dampening.

Abstract: An outlet gate assembly for a hopper type railway car includes a frame adapted to be mounted on an outlet opening in the rail car and a plate in the frame. An integrated rack and pinion drive moves the plate between open and closed positions on the frame. The drive includes a drive shaft, slip sockets mounted on the ends of the drive shaft and connected to the drive shaft through lost motion connections, pinion gears mounted directly to the drive shaft and rotatable with the drive shaft, racks mounted on the plate engaging the pinion gears so that rotation of the drive shaft moves the plate between the open and closed positions and a latch actuated by movement of either socket for latching the plate in the fully closed position and unlatching the plate prior to rotation of the drive shaft to open the plate.

Abstract: A slackless drawbar assembly joining railcars includes a drawbar, each end of the drawbar being joined to a yoke surrounding a cushioning unit and a follower block confined between forward and rear stops in a conventional sill pocket. The cushioning unit includes a front plate, an elongate spacer block and a compressed stack of elastomer pads sandwiched between the plate and block. Tightening wedges and shims are not used. The compressed pad stock holds the cushioning unit between the stops with a preload of about 50,000 pounds to prevent binding between the drawbar and the follower plate from causing derailments. The preload also holds the cushioning unit tight in the pocket.

Abstract: An outlet gate assembly for a hopper type railway car includes a frame adapted to be mounted on an outlet opening in the rail car and a plate in the frame. An integrated rack and pinion drive moves the plate between open and closed positions on the frame. The drive includes a drive shaft, slip sockets mounted on the ends of the drive shaft and connected to the drive shaft through lost motion connections, pinion gears mounted directly to the drive shaft and rotatable with the drive shaft, racks mounted on the plate engaging the pinion gears so that rotation of the drive shaft moves the plate between the open and closed positions and a latch actuated by movement of either socket for latching the plate in the fully closed position and unlatching the plate prior to rotation of the drive shaft to open the plate.

Abstract: A lading protection device in the form of a shock absorber for a railway car including a cylinder containing a piston and a body of hydraulic fluid normally captive between the front face of the piston and the closed end of the cylinder. A flow control valve assembly, centered in the piston, mounts an orifice bushing defining a constricted circular orifice. The assembly includes a valve stem slidable in the piston with a spring at its inner end for pressing the stem in a direction to seal the orifice. The piston has a fluid passage extending therethrough and an annular separator piston defines, with the main piston, a receiving space into which the fluid flows upon impact. The space in back of the separator piston is filled with a charge of gas under high pressure so that when the impact has been dissipated the gas pressure acting upon the separator piston restores the fluid to its normal position in readiness for a succeeding impact.

Abstract: A backstop assembly for use with a cushioning device in the sill of a railway car. The cushioning device has a body, or cylinder, slidable endwise in the sill and carrying a car coupler at its outer end. The cylinder has a piston centered on the sill axis and a piston rod projecting from its inner end terminating in an enlarged end collar of circular cross section which is received in a backstop. The backstop is of rectangular box shape secured in the sill and having an inner end wall, outer end wall, top wall and parallel side walls, the end walls being axially spaced to form a chamber for loose, axially captive accommodation of the collar. The outer end wall has an arch-shaped clearance opening for loose accommodation of the piston rod.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a frame adapted to be attached to a hopper car, a door plate slidably mounted on the frame, and an automatically engageable lock mounted on the frame adjacent the door plate and operable to hold the door plate closed when engaged. The lock includes pivotably mounted parts including a latch. One of the parts, which may be the latch, has a seal hole therein, and this seal hole is aligned with another seal hole in the frame when the lock is engaged. The seal holes are spaced from an adjacent edge of the frame a distance which is related to the size of the seal band such that there is little slack in the seal when the parts are coupled together. Further, the parts are shaped to require a substantial turning movement of the latch before the lock is disengaged, and the latch is unable to turn this distance because of the small amount of slack in the seal. Consequently the lock is prevented from accidentally disengaging when the seal is in place.

Abstract: A pellet gate, or valve, assembly to control pneumatic discharge of pellets from a hopper car. The inclined side walls of the hopper terminate in spaced edges forming a valve gap, with a semi-cylindrical trough extending below the valve gap. Centered in the valve gap is a valve rod having an axis which is spaced above the axis of the trough. The rod has oppositely facing longitudinal grooves defining a figure eight cross section and mounted for rotation from a valve-closed position to a valve-open position in which the grooves of the rod face the opposed edges of the hopper side walls for passage of the pellets. A cylindrical control collar is coaxially mounted at the end of the trough for rocking movement. A geared connection is interposed between the control collar and the end of the valve rod so that rocking movement of the control collar is effective to rotate the rod between its open and closed conditions.

Abstract: A cushion assembly having an outer cylinder and a metering cylinder extending between end caps and defining an annular reservoir therebetween with communication being provided by metering orifices distributed along the length of the metering cylinder. A piston is slideable in the metering cylinder having a first piston rod connected to one side and a second piston rod of hollow construction connected to the other side, the first piston rod having a head at its outer end. The head and the first end cap define a gap between them when the first piston rod is in its contracted state. Stop members on the slideable sill and frame of the car occupy normal side by side positions in register with one another in the gap, so that a shock applied to the sill in either direction causes the stop members to shift out of register with one another elongating the gap so as to tension and extend the first piston rod.

Abstract: An outlet gate assembly for a hopper car including a frame at the bottom of the hopper with a door plate slidable therein. A pair of laterally spaced racks extend cantilever fashion from one side of the frame. A transversely extending operating shaft, mounted in brackets secured to the door plate, carries pinions which engage the teeth of the racks so that as the operating shaft is turned the pinions walk along the racks thereby imparting sliding movement to the door plate. A latch shaft extending parallel to and below the level of the operating shaft mounts, in radial position, a pair of latches having hooked portions underlying the respective racks so that when the door plate is open the latches are blocked from moving into latching position by the underside of the racks and so that when the door plate is closed the hook portions of the latches engage the ends of the racks to lock the door plate in its closed position.

Abstract: Mechanism for retarding the speed of closure of the door of an automotive vehicle to prevent slamming and also to effect complete closure of the door after the same has been slowed. A hydraulic piston and cylinder cushioning device is utilized to slow the closure speed of the door to a predetermined low rate and a solenoid-actuated door closing device is utilized to effect a complete closing of the door after slowing by the cushioning device. The cushioning device may be mounted in the door of the vehicle and includes a plunger engageable with the door frame or body of the vehicle to decelerate the door during the last portion of movement thereof toward a closed position. The door closing device may also be mounted in the door of the vehicle and has a latch which coacts with a striker on the body of the vehicle to effect complete closure of the door.

Abstract: This disclosure deals with a hydraulic cushioning unit for a railway car, including a gas return. The unit includes a main reservoir which is precharged with a hydraulic oil and an inert gas. At least one reservoir extension is also provided at the upper side of the unit, the extension enabling the unit to be charged with relatively large amounts of oil and gas. The oil volume when the unit is in its neutral position is approximately 76 percent of the total reservoir volume, and the reduction in the gas volume during impact conditions is not more than approximately 40 percent. The unit includes a tube and two separate charging passages for precharging the unit to the desired oil and gas volumes.

Abstract: Mechanism for retarding the speed of closure of the door of an automotive vehicle to prevent slamming and also to effect complete closure of the door after the same has been slowed. A hydraulic piston and cylinder cushioning device is utilized to slow the closure speed of the door to a predetermined low rate and a solenoid-actuated door closing device is utilized to effect a complete closing of the door after slowing by the cushioning device. The cushioning device may be mounted in the door of the vehicle and includes a plunger engageable with the door frame or body of the vehicle to decelerate the door during the last portion of movement thereof toward a closed position. The door closing device may also be mounted in the door of the vehicle and has a latch which coacts with a striker on the body of the vehicle to effect complete closure of the door.