Patents by Inventor Dave Keats

Dave Keats has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8166892
    Abstract: A railroad gondola car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a pair of longitudinal doors. The door closing mechanism is a mechanical transmission that includes a set of linkages running from the door to a reciprocating pneumatic cylinder. The linkages run generally parallel to the slope sheet. The car has a very short draft installation that includes a removable coupler carrier bar, and the main shear plate has a removable draft gear installation panel. There is a machinery space above the end section shear plate. It is overhung by the slope sheet that is substantially unobstructed by any other primary structure. The pneumatic cylinder is mounted on an angle in this unobstructed machinery space, oriented longitudinally over the draft sill beneath the main drag link of the mechanical transmission, and above the main pivot of the driving input lever of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventors: James W. Forbes, Marcus Thiesen, Dave Keats
  • Patent number: 8141726
    Abstract: A railroad gondola car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a pair of longitudinal doors. The car has a very short draft installation that includes a removable coupler carrier bar, and the main shear plate has a removable draft gear installation cover. The rear draft stop extends longitudinally inboard past the truck center. The couple arrangement includes an AAR Type E shank with an AAR Type F coupler There is a machinery space above the end section shear plate. It is overhung by the slope sheet that is substantially unobstructed by any other primary structure. The pneumatic cylinder is mounted on an angle in this unobstructed machinery space, oriented longitudinally over the draft sill beneath the main drag link of the mechanical transmission, and above the main pivot of the driving input lever of the transmission. The main lever is bifurcated, and straddles the pneumatic cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventors: James W. Forbes, Marcus Thiesen, Dave Keats
  • Patent number: 8132515
    Abstract: A railroad gondola car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a pair of longitudinal doors. The door closing mechanism is a mechanical transmission that includes a set of linkages running from the door to a reciprocating pneumatic cylinder. The linkages run generally parallel to the slope sheet. The car has a very short draft installation that includes a removable coupler carrier bar, and the main shear plate has a removable draft gear installation panel. There is a machinery space above the end section shear plate. It is overhung by the slope sheet that is substantially unobstructed by any other primary structure. The pneumatic cylinder is mounted on an angle in this unobstructed machinery space, oriented longitudinally over the draft sill beneath the main drag link of the mechanical transmission, and above the main pivot of the driving input lever of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventors: James W. Forbes, Marcus Thiesen, Dave Keats
  • Publication number: 20110041724
    Abstract: A railroad gondola car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a pair of longitudinal doors. The door closing mechanism is a mechanical transmission that includes a set of linkages running from the door to a reciprocating pneumatic cylinder. The linkages run generally parallel to the slope sheet. The car has a very short draft installation that includes a removable coupler carrier bar, and the main shear plate has a removable draft gear installation panel. There is a machinery space above the end section shear plate. It is overhung by the slope sheet that is substantially unobstructed by any other primary structure. The pneumatic cylinder is mounted on an angle in this unobstructed machinery space, oriented longitudinally over the draft sill beneath the main drag link of the mechanical transmission, and above the main pivot of the driving input lever of the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: NATIONAL STEEL CAR LIMITED
    Inventors: James W. Forbes, Marcus Thiesen, Dave Keats
  • Publication number: 20100251922
    Abstract: A railroad gondola car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a pair of longitudinal doors. The door closing mechanism is a mechanical transmission that includes a set of linkages running from the door to a reciprocating pneumatic cylinder. The linkages run generally parallel to the slope sheet. The car has a very short draft installation that includes a removable coupler carrier bar, and the main shear plate has a removable draft gear installation panel. There is a machinery space above the end section shear plate. It is overhung by the slope sheet that is substantially unobstructed by any other primary structure. The pneumatic cylinder is mounted on an angle in this unobstructed machinery space, oriented longitudinally over the draft sill beneath the main drag link of the mechanical transmission, and above the main pivot of the driving input lever of the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: NATIONAL STEEL CAR LIMITED
    Inventors: James W. Forbes, Marcus Thiesen, Dave Keats
  • Publication number: 20100219148
    Abstract: A railroad gondola car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a pair of longitudinal doors. The car has a very short draft installation that includes a removable coupler carrier bar, and the main shear plate has a removable draft gear installation cover. The rear draft stop extends longitudinally inboard past the truck center. The couple arrangement includes an AAR Type E shank with an AAR Type F coupler There is a machinery space above the end section shear plate. It is overhung by the slope sheet that is substantially unobstructed by any other primary structure. The pneumatic cylinder is mounted on an angle in this unobstructed machinery space, oriented longitudinally over the draft sill beneath the main drag link of the mechanical transmission, and above the main pivot of the driving input lever of the transmission. The main lever is bifurcated, and straddles the pneumatic cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: NATIONAL STEEL CAR LIMITED
    Inventors: James W. Forbes, Marcus Thiesen, Dave Keats