Abstract: A convertible open top hopper car (10) is assembled by longitudinally aligning a pair of railway car stub sills (12) in an assembly position. Transversely extending shear plates (16) are attached to each stub sill. A transversely extending inclined locating plate (18) is integrally connected to the inner end portion of each stub sill. The locating plate preferably includes a flange portion (22) adapted to receive a desired hopper car bottom (24). The bottom may be a conventional gondola bottom having pivoting doors, a light weight gondola bottom for use in cars which are rotated 180.degree. to unload the lading, or a gondola bottom having rapid discharge doors. The bottom selected for application is preferably first attached at each of its ends to the longitudinally spaced locating plates (18). Then hopper car sides (40) including side sills (42) and side sheets (46) are lowered onto the respective shear plates (16) and are welded to the shear plates.

Abstract: In a device for automatically winding up an electrical cable for an electrically operating apparatus on a drum, the drum is journalled with its hollow hub in two sleeve bearings of different diameter formed with a pivot spindle fixed on a base plate. Between the bearings two sliding contact elements comprised of contact rings and contact springs are arranged, of which the contact rings are arranged non-rotatably on the pivot spindle, and the contact springs are arranged in a contact carrier insertable in a recess in the hub. The opening of the hollow drum hub (3.1) facing the base plate (1) is provided with a collar (3.11) and locking pawls (1.2) are provided on the base plate (1) that engage behind the collar (3.11) of the hub (3.1) so that the drum (3) is secured against axial drawing off of the pivot spindle (2). The contact carrier (12) is insertable in a radial direction in the recess (3.12) of the hub (3.1) and is held therein through a locking connection.

Abstract: A bottom dump arrangement attached to a body which provides a goods-holding space, the body resting on an undercarriage and including at least one pair of adjacent doors having remote edges, the doors being pivotally attached at their remote edges for swinging movement in a curved path transverse to the body and perpendicular to the remote edges, the free edges of the doors facing toward each other abutting each other in closed position of the doors, the arrangement also including guide paths that cooperate with the body to lift the body relative to the undercarriage, a linkage assembly pivotally connected between the doors and the body for permitting the body, when lifted by the guide paths, to become inclined to the pivotal axes for the doors in a vertical plane, which is parallel to the pivotal axes of the doors and perpendicular to the plane that the undercarriage rests on.

Abstract: An overhead conveyor comprising a monorail and a carrier supported on the monorail. In the illustrated embodiment, the monorail is generally I-shaped in cross section and the carrier comprises two carriages spaced apart along the monorail having a roller adapted to ride on the top of the monorail and guide rollers adapted to engage the sides of the monorail to provide lateral stability. The two carriages are interconnected by a load beam pivotally mounted on vertical pins in each of the carriages. One of the carriages carries a drive motor for advancing the carrier along the rail and the other of the carriages provides an electrical pick-up device for taking power from trolley lines mounted on the monorail and supplying power to the drive motor.

Abstract: A pedestal liner for a railway vehicle and method of making same are provided wherein such liner comprises a roughly U-shaped metal support comprising the main structural portion of the liner with the metal support having a bight and a pair of parallel legs and an insert is provided and carried by the metal support. The insert has a pair of roughly parallel members which have outer portions disposed outwardly of and parallel to the parallel legs of the support and the parallel members are comprised of antifriction material; and, the insert has an integral arm extending transverse its members with the arm also being comprised of antifriction material. The insert is adapted to be readily installed on and removed from the metal support and is held in position mainly by surface portions of the metal support to define the pedestal liner.

Abstract: In a rail-bound vehicle which has a vehicle body which can be tilted in relation to supporting bogies when travelling along curved track sections, a current collector for collecting electric current from an overhead contact line is arranged on transverse guides on the roof of the vehicle body, so that it may be displaced in the lateral direction in relation to the roof upon tilting of the vehicle body. The position of the current collector relative to the vehicle body and the overhead contact line is determined by a mast fixed to one of the supporting bogies, which mast is flexibly connected to the current collector.

Abstract: An insulated joint is provided for use between sections of rail that are disposed in adjacent signal circuits. The insulated joint includes a separator disposed between a pair of dielectric end posts. The end posts have a plan configuration substantially identical to the cross section of the rail sections with which they are used. The separator is constructed from a material having sufficient strength to enable it to withstand the forces exerted by the wheels of the train. The insulating fabric disposed between the joint bar and the rail is removed at least in the portion thereof adjacent the separator head portion thereby avoiding the problem of having the insulating fabric wear adjacent the separator. In locations where the separator would be subject to greater than normal forces, a head portion with a height greater than that of the rail sections is provided to increase the strength of the separator.

Abstract: A transportation vehicle power collector apparatus is operative with a power rail having position changes and misalignments in relation to that vehicle travel path and includes a power collector shoe movable in each of three cartesion coordinates to maintain electrical contact with the power rail.

Abstract: A motor-driven overhead trolley conveyor is described which comprises a rail having horizontal sections and inclined sections. Rack sections or chain sections are associated to the inclined sections. Each trolley comprises its own drive motor. In the horizontal sections the driving force is transmitted exclusively through a drive roller. In inclined sections the drive is effected by means of a gear meshing with the rack or chain and being driven with the same angular velocity as the drive roller. The drive roller comprises a drive wheel connected with the drive shaft as well as a ring mounted on the periphery of the drive wheel in a slide bearing fashion. By this feature, a cold working of the drive roller surface and the rail surface due to alternate stresses caused by the gear is avoided.

Abstract: A load supporting grid structure is disclosed for a bin or hopper having a discharger or reclaimer at the bottom. The grip structure is used when storing solid materials such as wood chips, hogged fuel and the like and reduces the weight of the solid materials on the discharger, particularly when the materials are stored at a depth of at least 20 feet. The grid structure is positioned above the discharger and supports the weight of at least a portion of the solid materials in the bin or hopper.

Abstract: Disclosed is a switch for a suspended track transport apparatus, particularly of the building-block type and especially for interior use in the apparel industry. The switch comprises a support structure which includes two support tubes connected together at an angle to each other and a cross-stiffening element connected between the two support tubes. Stationary track sections are supported by the support tubes. Movable track sections are movably supported by pivot bearings and are coupled to each other by a lever apparatus. A switch setting device determines the switch position. The lever apparatus and the pivot bearings are accommodated within a dead space having sides extending along the support tubes and the cross-stiffening element of a height not exceeding the distance from fixed track sections to the support tubes. The lever apparatus is engaged in the vicinity of the movable track sections and is held at one end in the pivot bearing.

Abstract: A vehicle entry system for invalids includes a wheelchair and a wheelchair mounting device. The wheelchair mounting device includes a platform that is swivellably and non-tiltably mounted in a motor vehicle. The wheelchair is moved forwardly to straddle the platform when the platform is extended out from a vehicle opening. The wheelchair's wheels are then movable in at least a vertical direction, relative to the wheelchair's seat, to a level above the sill of the vehicle opening to clear same as the platform is swivelled into the vehicle.

Abstract: A securing assembly for marine use especially for securing container corners is provided which comprises, a support seat having a slot on a horizontal plane thereof; a reversible cover plate to be coupled with the support seat; a holding member, such as cone, twist lock, pad eye, cloverleaf cone, etc., mounted integrally on the cover plate, the holding member being protruded upward when used for securing cargo and kept under the cover plate into the slot of support seat when the cover plate is reversed downward. A T-bar is vertically penetrated through the cover plate and at one end thereof is a transverse handle key which exists at the opposite side relative to the holding members and on the other end of T-bar, there is a stopper piece. A notch or lug is provided at the lower end of the holding member, and a pair of wedge members is provided underneath the slot. The wedge members will be engaged with the notch, lug, or handle key for securing the cover plate with respect to the support seat.

Abstract: A mobile track working machine arranged for intermittent advancement along the track comprises a drive, a brake for braking the driven wheels at respective working sites between the intermittent advancement of the machine, a speedometer generating a signal indicating the speed of advancement and a device generating a signal indicating the peripheral speed of the driven wheels. A fully electronically operated control arrangement for avoiding spinning of the driven wheels at the start of the advancement of the machine and locking of the wheels at braking includes a circuit having an input receiving the signals and an output connected to the drive and brake for constantly maintaining the nominal desired value of the drive and brake moments and for reducing the traction and brake forces in dependence on any drive or brake slippage.

Abstract: A power and free conveyor having a slow down section through which conveyed articles travel at reduced speed. The slow down section comprises an endless auxiliary chain traveling at a speed less than the speed of the main drive chains with stops at selected locations along the auxiliary chain. The stops are pivotally mounted and gravity controlled to assume active positions upon entry into the path of travel of the articles so as to interact with an oncoming article to slow the article to the speed of the auxiliary chain. The pivotal motion of the stops with respect to the auxiliary chain is controlled so that the stops are pivoted to an inactive position and carried by the auxiliary chain during return of the chain.

Abstract: An apparatus for damping mechanical oscillations vibrations or pulstations with magnetic suspension railways having vehicles movable to float along elevated tracks using magnetic levitation or suspension technique as well as having supplemental suppression device suppression devices to eliminate oscillation. Each supplemental oscillation suppression device has an additional mass in the form of a hollow body or solid material, and is suspended by means of steel or rubber springs on the longitudinal vehicle support or on the longitudinal track beam. One end face of that supplemental oscillation suppression device associated with the vehicle is provided with a buffer in the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis thereof, and respective stops are arranged on both longitudinal sides and are fastened to the longitudinal support, with the end face of the hollow body facing the buffer being closed by a base plate, the opposite end face being tightly closable with a screw cap.

Abstract: A support structure utilized for checking and repairing rotatable objects of various kinds, such as a turbine for power generator or a blower fan, includes a roll support base which rotatably supports one end of the rotatable object thereon by means of a pair of rolls which are supported on an adjustable surface plate of a base frame by means of a spherical support mechanism. Due to the spherical support mechanism, the rolls on the support bases can uniformly support both ends of the rotatable object without imparting any thrust to the rolls even when horizontal levelling is not achieved.

Abstract: A moving vehicle power distribution apparatus includes power signal and ground signal rails provided along a roadway track including a track switch. As the track switch is moved to pass the vehicle to selected roadway tracks, the signal and power rails can become misaligned and damage current collectors carried by the vehicle that travel along these rails. Coupling members having interdigitated members extend between the rail sections to control the movement of the current collectors as the vehicle travels through the track switch.

Abstract: The sound-of-steam producing system is completely mounted on the tender intended to be pulled by a toy electric locomotive. The system includes a switch mechanism included in the circuit of a module which energizes a speaker to simulate the puffing sound of a real locomotive. The switch mechanism is opened and closed by a roller mechanism comprising a pair of rollers having their diameters ratioed in accordance with the relative diameters of the locomotive's drive wheels and the tender's wheels, whereby the puffing sound is precisely synchronized with the rotation of drive wheels of the locomotive.

Abstract: The slide gate includes a closure door for selectively closing a discharge opening at the underside of a hopper car. The closure door is mounted for horizontally sliding movement in a support assembly which is mounted on the underside of the hopper car. The door is movable between at least open, first stage or generally closed, and fully closed positions. A resilient seal is mounted on the support assembly to be deformed by the door in the fully closed position, lightly engaged by the door in the first stage closed position and displaced from the door in the open position. Locking dogs fall by gravity behind the door as it moves toward its closed positions. A first engaging surface on the dogs locks the door in the first stage closed position and a second engaging surface locks it in the fully closed position. A rack and pinion assembly provides a mechanical advantage to assist in moving the door.