Abstract: An apparatus for controlling discharge of commodity from a railcar hopper car having a centersill and two laterally spaced door assemblies arranged in registry with two transversely spaced discharge openings on a hopper of the car is disclosed. The doors of the discharge door assemblies are joined to each other by an elongated connector such that they move in unison. The apparatus includes an operating shaft rotatable about a fixed axis extending transverse to and vertically beneath the railcar centersill. A linkage system operably connects the operating shaft to the elongated connector to simultaneously push the door assemblies into their closed position in response to rotation of the operating shaft in a first direction and pulls the door assemblies from their closed position in response to rotation of the operating shaft in a reverse or second direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling discharge of material from a bottom dump railroad car having a centersill defining a longitudinal axis for the hopper car is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of longitudinally mounted discharge door assemblies. Each door assembly comprises a pair of longitudinally mounted discharge doors disposed to opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis of the car for movement between open and closed positions relative to respective discharge openings on a bottom of the car. Each discharge door is mounted for movement about an axis disposed adjacent and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car. A door operating mechanism including a positively driven actuator is carried on the hopper car for operating at least one of the discharge door assemblies independently of at least one other discharge door assembly on the car.

Abstract: A discharge door assembly for a bottom dump covered railroad hopper car is provided. The discharge door assembly includes a plurality of longitudinally mounted discharge doors arranged in end-to-end relation across a bottom of the hopper car; with each discharge door being movable between open and closed positions about a pivot axis disposed parallel to and adjacent a longitudinal axis of the hopper car. A door operating mechanism including a single powered actuator operates all of the discharge doors substantially simultaneously to effect rapid discharge of matter from the hopper with significantly less operator involvement. The door operating mechanism further includes a lock for releasably holding the discharge doors in a closed position. A venting system inhibits imploding of the walls of the hopper car upon discharge of particulate matter from the car.

Abstract: A discharge gate assembly for a railway hopper car that satisfies the new AAR requirements and specifications and includes a frame defining a generally rectangular discharge opening with a gate slidably mounted on the frame for endwise horizontal movement between opened and closed positions. An operating shaft assembly is supported on opposite frame extensions for rotational movement about a fixed axis. The operating shaft assembly is operably coupled to the gate. A lock assembly is operably coupled to the operating shaft assembly and includes a vertically displacable stop member mounted for vertical and rotational movement about a fixed axis extending above the path of movement of the gate and in fore-and-aft relationship relative to an edge of the gate. When the gate is in its closed position, the stop member extends downwardly and into engagement with the gate edge to positively prevent the gate from substantial movement toward an open position.

Abstract: One double acting cylinder is attached to the doors of a gate assembly via a linkage. A lock out system cooperates with the linkage whereby different parts of the linkage may be immobilized prior to the beginning of a work cycle. The work performed by the double acting cylinder thus passes through the free parts of the linkage to actuate one door or the other.

Abstract: A sliding gate structure for controlling discharge of material from openings defined at a lower end of a railroad hopper car. The openings are covered by a pair of gates which linearly move in guide tracks to discharge the material inside or outside of the rails depending on which gate is operated. Each gate is independently operated by an operative mechanism including a control system operable from a side of the hopper car. Each operative mechanisms include a pair of linkage assemblies which are operated by a linearly distendable driver. The linkage assemblies are connected to opposite sides of the respective gate to inhibit skewing of the gate relative to the guide tracks during gate movement. Movement of each gate is independently controlled through actuation of the control system from the side of the hopper car.

Abstract: A railroad car with a hopper-type body may include a series of gate assemblies for selective discharge of commodity in the car body. Each gate assembly may have two pairs of doors which rotate to close or open respective outlet openings in the gate assembly. Door rotation is effected by an operating system comprising an air cylinder joined to a series of lever activating devices by a series of connecting rods. Each lever device includes a lever arm pinned to the connecting rods and rotatively carried on a shaft attached to a sill of the car. A crank arm of the device is also carried on the shaft and interacts with the lever arm through a pair of bolts threaded one each to the lever arm and crank arm. Ends of the device crank arms are pivotally secured by connecting bars to adjacent gate door pairs respectively.

Abstract: A tamper-proof railroad hopper car door operating system for preventing operation of the doors when the auxiliary train line air pressure, and thus the locomotive engine, is removed. A directional control valve is provided through which air pressure is switched from the car reservoir pressure tank to control a door operating air cylinder. The control valve includes a pilot inlet connected to the auxiliary train line for supplying air pressure to switch the control valve, while the reservoir air pressure flows through the valve to supply the power medium for the air cylinder. In this manner when the auxiliary train line air pressure is removed, reservoir air pressure cannot be switched to move the hopper car door.

Abstract: A self-contained gate assembly unit for ready attachment to an outlet formed in a hopper-type railroad car allows distribution of ballast in the car to the roadbed below. With the car having outlets positioned over the rails on which the car is supported, an inner or outer plate-like door, slidably carried in guides formed in the unit, may be raised to deposit ballast on either or both sides of either or both rails. Each door is formed with a lower offset lip portion which facilitates door movement in the unit guides.

Abstract: A plate welded to what is the leading edge of the slide gate door, as the slide gate door would move in the opening direction, engages a portion of the peripheral face of a cam. The plate is above the supports on which the gate rides. In the event that a force is applied to the door urging the door in the opening direction, that portion of the cam cams the distal side of the plate toward those supports, whereby the plate acts as a spring resisting that force and in preventing the door significantly moving in the opening direction. The cam can be rotated to another position at which the plate and door are free to move below it to the opened position.

Abstract: When the slide gate of a hopper car is across the discharge opening and against the part of the frame that defines that opening, each of one pair of abutments below the gate and secured thereto is resting on a respective lever arm which lever arm is generally vertical and secured to the rototable shaft employed as a part of the mechanism for opening and closing of the gate. At the opposite side of the discharge opening from the shaft, the gate has another pair of downwardly facing abutments each of which then is resting on a respective generally vertically lever pivotally secured to the frame. As the gate is initially moved horizontally away from that position the lever arms pivot to permit the gate to descend. In addition to forming the downwardly facing abutments, the parts that form those abutments also form abutments which engage the lever and pivot it to an upright position as the gate is being closed.

Abstract: Pivoted lock means for selectively blocking rotation of an operating shaft associated with a slide gate in a hopper outlet assembly whereby to prevent opening of the gate.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of a railcar discharge gate assembly including a frame defining a discharge opening with a gate slidably arranged on the frame for movement along a predetermined path of travel between open and closed positions. The apparatus of the present invention includes an operating shaft rotatably supported on the frame for selectively moving the gate between open and closed positions in response to rotation of the shaft. A lock assembly is carried on the frame and is operably coupled to the operating shaft. The lock assembly includes a displacable stop member which, when the gate is closed, extends into the path of travel of the gate to prevent movement of the gate relative to the frame, and which moves in timed relation relative to movement of the gate such that upon rotation of the operating shaft to move the gate to an open position the stop member is automatically removed from the path of travel of the gate prior to movement of the gate toward an open position.