Abstract: A door operating mechanism for a bottom dump hopper car including a plurality of transversely mounted bottom discharge gates arranged in oppositely opening pairs and operatively connected by compression struts to pendulously mounted vertical levers. The levers are movable divergently outward by linkages connecting them to a lever mounted on a longitudinally extending rotatable actuating shaft. The invention further provides that in the locked position the vertical levers and compression struts be in an overcenter position relative to each pair of associated discharge gates, thereby assuring positive locking of the mechanism.

Abstract: A reinforcing structure for a railway car having a fishbelly type underframe including a center sill having tapered transition sections connected between the center section of the sill and each end section. At each transition section a pair of longitudinally extending horizontal plates are provided which are contiguous and affixed to the respective vertical webs of the sill and extend from the center section through the transition section and into the end section, thereby directing structurally deleterious fatiguing loads away from the bent portions of the sill at the junctures of the transition section and the center and end sections.

Abstract: A chimney having concentric tubular walls defining an annular pressurized space includes a sealing arrangement having a flexible boot with one edge connected to one of the walls. The top hood or cover supported on the inner wall of the chimney includes a lower annular surface which extends over the outer wall. Spring biased support members supported on the outer walls are connected to an annular seal ring to which a second flexible edge of the boot is connected and supports the same in sealing relation against the lower annular surface of the hood to seal the annular space and accomodate relative movement of the walls resulting from natural elements.

Abstract: An articulated railway car includes end to end body units with adjacent ends supported on a wheeled truck and interconnected in articulated relation. Side bearing arrangements disposed on opposite sides of the articulated connection include relatively interengaging and telescoping bearing elements designed to prevent torsional twisting movement of the body units about a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A combination seat and step arrangement for a railway sleeping compartment having components of the seat forming a step or ladder and a seat assembly. The seat includes a lateral part which is hinged upwardly and an upper lateral part of the back rest hinged to swing over the raised lateral part and locked therewith to provide a step alongside the main seating section.

Abstract: A railway passenger vehicle having a side wall mounted, modular shelving unit providing a convenience center for use in carrying or storing glasses, beverages and the like. The convenience center is a modular unit that may be assembled away from the vehicle and easily attached to a wall mounted seat rail during final assembly stages. The unit includes a mounting shell providing a trough that is attached to the seat rail and shaped to conform with the vehicle structure and also shaped to receive a number of storage or table top members that are suitable to receive various items frequently used by passengers. The trough portion of the convenience center includes a light which is powered by a cable that is carried in a hollow section and extends along the length of the convenient center. The light requires no external wiring to be connected through the walls and thus may be easily wired into the vehicle electrical system at the car ends as the convenience centers are installed.

Abstract: A sliding door and door guide arrangement for the door opening of a railway passenger compartment including a spring biased door guide mechanism for retarding abrupt movement of the door due to car impacts during rail operations and including a threshold plate having a guide channel cooperative with a guide plate depending from the door slidingly engaged therein to align the door and downwardly biased thereagainst to retard abrupt movements of the door.

Abstract: A safety vent for hopper cars includes a tubular housing member adapted to communicate with the interior of a hopper which may be unloaded by creating a sub-atmospheric pressure therein. The vent includes a rupturable diaphragm normally blocking the entrance of air through the tubular housing to the hopper. The diaphragm comprises a material which is stretched across a tubular wall of the tubular member in a tensioned condition, and which at a predetermined PSI within the hopper, ruptures whereupon the ruptured pieces of the diaphragm recede radially outwardly against the wall of the tubular housing in a manner to occupy a minimal amount of space thereby permitting the free flow of air into the hopper.

Abstract: A door lock mechanism for hopper cars includes a longitudinally extending operating rod actuated by a linkage means tripped by a track side cam. The rod in turn actuates cam locks by means of bell cranks which cause the locks to rotate and release transverse tension rods connected to doors for opening the same. The cam locks include cams engageable with teeth on the tension rods for securely locking the doors in a closed position. The operating rod also includes cam means effectively engaging the cam locks to positively lock the same in a closed position.

Abstract: A door post for a grain door of a freight car. The post comprises hollow two-piece metal sections forming the door edge. The sections are contoured to hold a nailing strip made either of wood or metal slotted construction. The nailing strip serves as a backing for the post and custions blows against the metal sections of the post longitudinally of the car by cargo being passed through the doorway.

Abstract: An improved flame cutting machine for modifying a railway car by trimming or burning to specific shapes or patterns portions of the longitudinally spaced plate members or gussets which form part of the side sill structure of the car. Adjacent to each side sill is a beam carried by a support structure. The beam supports a cam structure which extends the length of the car. A carriage which rides on the cam structure, supports a torch apparatus mounted on a frame which may be pivoted into position adjacent the gusset to be trimmed.

Abstract: A vibration accommodating clamp for securing pipes which carry brake lines and the like to the underframes of railway cars. The clamp is initially mounted by placing a U-shaped bolt over the pipe and through holes in a mounting bracket and permanently securing a collar on a grooved portion of one leg of the bolt. The second leg of the bolt remains unused until it is necessary to remove the clamp. The clamp is removed by cutting off the collar and reapplied by placing a nut and washer on the threaded portion of the unused leg.

Abstract: A modular rear draft lug and center filler construction for railway vehicles comprising a pair of rear draft lugs which extend from the draft sill area along each side of the inside of the center sill and continue through the center filler area to rear draft lug stops. A number of slotted plates are fitted over portions of the draft lugs and attached to a bottom cover plate which nests into the center sill. A center plate has a mounting skirt with upwardly extending flanges to abut each end of the bottom cover plate to resist longitudinal impact forces. The rear draft lugs are mechanically attached to the center sill and the center filler plates, center plate and rear draft lug stops may be easily installed after the rear draft lugs are attached. The riveted construction provides for even force distribution and alignment and ease of replacement should damage or failure occur.

Abstract: A railway passenger car compartment includes an upper berth and a convertible seat. The compartment is provided with a fixture adjacent to the seat which serves as a storage unit, as a ladder to provide access to the upper berth, as an arm rest for the seat, and as an instrument panel for various electrical components.

Abstract: A reinforcing member for inhibiting failure caused by metal fatigue in the walls of the hatch coaming in a covered hopper car. The reinforcing member utilizes the combination of a weld and a mechanical connection to provide a reinforcement which effectively resists both axial loading and bending moments that cause fatigue failure.

Abstract: A sliding door and self-cleaning door guide and threshold arrangement for the door opening of a railway passenger car compartment. The invention provides for a threshold plate and a guide channel having a guide plate depending from the door slidingly engaged therein to align the door, and a plurality of slots transversely diverging from the channel and opening to the sides of the threshold plate, thus accommodating self-cleaning of the guide arrangement by utilizing the normal opening and closing movements of the sliding door.

Abstract: In the production of lower olefins by steam cracking normally liquid hydrocarbons at very short residence times, the formation of coke deposits in cracking furnace tubes is minimized by the addition of a low-coking hydrocarbon to fresh feed having a high coking tendency.

Abstract: An insulated metal chimney lining, having constant loading spring suspension from the chimney column, is provided at the lower portion of a brick chimney lining to form the breeching entry. To provide additional thermal expansion capacity, an expansion joint may be incorporated in the metal liner.

Abstract: A door retarder to prevent movement of an unlocked railway freight door includes a spring urging a braking cam roller into a pivoted braking shoe that engages a door support rail. An operating handle has a double lobe cam to operate a linkage and move the braking cam roller away from the braking shoe to allow the door to move freely into and from a car door opening when the operating handle is rotated from a normal, upright position. When released, the operating handle returns to the normal position for retarding door movement.

Abstract: A cleanable drainage arrangement for fluent products overflowing from the dam or reservoir of a tanker vehicle including a chute or outwardly opening trough having a removable translucent cover plate to accommodate periodic inspection and cleaning during field use.