Abstract: A hatch cover lock with an automatic first locking mechanism for securing a removable hatch cover of a railway hopper car to the railway hopper car and secondary manually operated locking mechanism to secure the hatch cover to the hopper car in addition to the automatic first locking mechanism which allows the hatch cover to be opened from either side of the hopper car, and which cooperates to prevent accidental removal of the hatch cover and/or batten bar from the hopper car.

Abstract: A device for automatically spreading and locking cotter pins as they are driven into place. The device is an improvement on the cotter pin spreading devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,751,013 dated Mar. 18, 1930 and 2,345,141 dated Mar. 28, 1944. The improved devices have locking extensions which, during the act of driving cotter pins into place, become deformed into locking engagement with the heads on the driven and spread cotter pins. Several forms of locking extensions are disclosed.

Abstract: A support assembly is provided that includes a plurality of inelastic, flexible cables that are joined together by a plurality of spaced apart securement members in order to form a wedging elongated eye. An end assembly of the support assembly passes through the elongated eye in one direction, after which a retaining member thereof is moved from a longitudinal, feedable orientation to a transverse, locking orientation. An especially secure engagement is provided. The support assembly is especially suitable as a safety cable for a bulkhead assembly.

Abstract: A brake hanger suspension for suspending and securing a brake hanger between a pair of ears on a truck side frame of a railroad car wherein a pair of retainer blocks, between which the upper portion of the brake hanger extends, are locked together and between the ears by mating formations, and the resulting assembly locked together and in place by a U-shaped key or retainer.

Abstract: A support assembly is provided that includes a plurality of inelastic, flexible cables that are joined together by a plurality of spaced apart securement members in order to form a wedging elongated eye. An end assembly of the support assembly passes through the elongated eye in one direction, after which a retaining member thereof is moved from a longitudinal, feedable orientation to a transverse, locking orientation. An especially secure engagement is provided. The support assembly is especially suitable as a safety cable for a bulkhead assembly.

Abstract: An adjustable support assembly is provided for suspending or otherwise attaching one article such as a conduit to another article such as a frame. The adjustable support assembly includes a pair of inelastic, flexible cables that are secured together at spaced locations by retainers in order to form a series of elongated eyes. One of the cables extends beyond the other cable and has a tapered stop secured to its free end. When used, the adjustable support assembly is wrapped around the article being suspended or attached, and the tapered stop is passed through one of the elongated eyes and wedged therein in order to secure the free end to the elongated eye of the adjustable support assembly.

Abstract: Cargo carried on freight cars such as flat bed railway cars is secured in place by lading strapping that is tensioned around the cargo so as to compress a snubber unit of an integral, telescoping quick-release device that includes a sleeve slidably mounted in a housing secured directly to the side of the freight car, which sleeve is locked in a collapsed condition within the housing and unlocked to move between the collapsed condition and a telescoping condition, the sleeve having therewithin an anchor rod that telescopes from the sleeve in opposition to bias provided by the snubber unit. Unlocking of the quick-release device substantially reduces tension within the lading strapping before it is removed from the cargo.

Abstract: Cargo carried on freight cars such as flat bed railway cars is secured in place by lading strapping that is tensioned around the cargo so as to compress a snubber unit of a self-resetting lading tie anchor and snubbing device that includes a snubber mechanism and a lading tie anchor assembly slidably mounted in a housing secured directly to the side sill of the freight car, which anchor assembly is locked in an automatically retracted position to automatically reset the device when it drops into the housing due to the force of gravity, at which position lading strapping is passed through a lading tie anchor that moves generally upwardly as tension is applied to the lading strapping in opposition to bias provided by the snubber mechanism. Unlocking of the anchor assembly quickly releases the device to substantially reduce tension within the lading strapping before it is removed from the cargo.

Abstract: Cargo carried on freight cars such as flat bed railway cars is secured in place by lading strapping that is tensioned around the cargo so as to compress a snubber unit on a self-resetting lading tie anchor and snubbing device that includes a snubber mechanism and a lading tie anchor assembly slidably mounted in a housing secured directly to the side sill of the freight car, which anchor assembly is locked in an automatically retracted position to automatically reset the device when it drops into the housing due to the force of gravity to bring a latch into operative interengagement with the snubbing device. At this position, lading strapping is passed through a lading tie anchor that moves generally upwardly as tension is applied to the lading strapping in opposition to bias provided by the snubber mechanism.

Abstract: A latch mechanism mounted on the roof of a hopper car is arranged to hold a pivoted hatch cover in closed position over a trough in the roof of the car and has outer and inner spaced flanges upstanding with respect to the roof with a keeper therebetween having a laterally and downwardly extending configuration at the top for latching engagement with an element of the cover and mounted for translatory and pivotal movement under the control of a lever which is pivotally mounted between the outer flange and keeper and provided with a lock to hold the handle of the lever in its hatch cover closing position.

Abstract: A lever operated lock mechanism for a hopper door is provided which is especially suitable for use on railway hopper cars having hinged double doors. Included in the lock mechanism is a hook assembly which is pivotally mounted on a housing secured to the door frame or slope sheet of the hopper. A keeper assembly is attached to the spreader bar joining the double doors for engaging the hook assembly, this engagement being at either of two saddle formations or notches, the first or catch saddle formation being engaged when the lock mechanism is in a catch position, and the second or closed saddle formation being engaged when the lock mechanism is in a fully closed position. Movement between the catch position and the fully closed position is greatly facilitated by fulcrum means for receiving a lever bar by which a workman can readily close the hopper doors.

Abstract: There is provided an improved safety support for adjustable mounting on brake beams of railway cars for supporting one end of a bottom connecting rod should it become detached from the brake rigging. A flexible cable is supported by a cable retainer mounted on the side of a brake beam. The cable passes under one end of a bottom connecting rod with the ends of the cable extending generally upwardly through passageways on opposite ends of the cable retainer. Sleeve stops or other enlargements are crimped or otherwise secured to the ends of the cable so as to prevent the cable ends from being withdrawn downwardly through the passageways. The cable retainer has a plurality of holes so that it may be mounted in various positions on the brake beam thereby allowing the cable to be adjusted to several different elevations. By providing the cable with additional sleeve stops it can in effect be shortened to different effective lengths.

Abstract: A lock-down mechanism for a hinged hatch cover having a lock strap with an arm portion projecting laterally over a hopper car roof on the side of the hatchway opposite the hatch cover hinge. An operating lever is pivotally mounted at one end on an upstanding support on the car roof and positioned adjacent one side of the arm portion when the hatch cover is closed. A pawl is pivotally mounted on the operating lever and has a foot portion and a latching portion. The foot portion engages the top side of the press-down arm when the locking mechanism is in its closed condition with the hatch cover fully closed. The latching portion of the pawl engages a formation on the lever support when the mechanism is in locking condition, this latter engagement resulting from an over-center or toggle-like action.