Abstract: A chock for use in securing four wheel vehicles such as automobiles to the deck-mounted rail of a transport carrier includes a frame, with the frame having a pocket formed and adapted to mount the frame laterally over the deck-mounted rail. The rail has a series of transverse openings and the frame has at least one pin extending from the side of the pocket and positioned to extend through a rail opening. There is a locking member pivotally mounted to the frame on an axis perpendicular to the frame pin or pins. The locking member has a handle portion outside of the frame and a rail engaging portion movable within the pocket and arranged to bear against one side of the rail to secure the frame pin or pins within the rail openings and thus the frame to the rail. There is a latch for holding the locking member in a locking position. A rotatable rod is mounted in the frame and has a tire engaging web attached to it with rotation of the rod tightening or releasing the web.

Abstract: A seal for use between the end tube and the end plate of the outlet gate of a railroad hopper car has a generally flat body with a periphery generally coextensive with the end tube. The body is formed of an elastic material and has a shaft opening in alignment with the valve shaft of the outlet gate and a discharge opening in alignment with the discharge opening of the outlet gate end plate. There is a continuous elastic seal extending outwardly from each face of the flat body, with the seals each extending about the shaft opening and the discharge opening and being adapted to be in compressive contact with the end tube and the end plate when the outlet gate is assembled.

Abstract: A lock for the end tube assembly and gate valve for the outlet gate of a railroad hopper car includes an elongated flexible cable and a locking element. The end tube assembly includes an end tube and an end tube cap for closing the end tube. There is a pivotal connection and a latch between the cap the end tube. The latch includes a latch member having an opening therein. The gate valve includes a valve member and an operating handle. The operating handle has an opening therein and is located adjacent to the latch member. The elongated cable, which forms a portion of the lock, passes through the handle opening and the latch member opening and has opposite ends thereof secured together by the locking element.

Abstract: An end tube assembly for the outlet gate of a railroad hopper car includes an end tube and an end tube cap for closing the end tube. The cap is pivotally connected to the end tube and there is a diametrically opposed latch between the cap and end tube. The cap has a guide which extends toward and over the end tube and there is a ramp on the end tube in alignment with the guide to coaxially direct the guide and cap on the end tube during closure. There is a lock on the end tube adjacent the ramp to prevent relative circumferential movement between the cap and end tube. The end tube mounts a gasket which faces the end tube cap. The cap has a rim extending outwardly therefrom for contact with the gasket. The extension of the rim gradually varies from at least one area of greatest extent to at least one area of lesser extent to compensate for distortion of the cap when it is latched onto the end tube.

Abstract: A peripheral sealing gasket is disclosed for use in mounting a discharge gate to the adapter frame of a railroad hopper car. The gasket has a peripheral base formed of a relatively rigid sealing material, which base is formed and adapted to be positioned between and in substantial surface contact with a discharge gate mounting flange and the hopper car adapter frame. The base has at least one sealing element on each side thereof, which sealing elements extend outwardly beyond the base and are formed of a sealing material substantially less rigid than the base. There is a recess for each sealing element whereby each sealing element will distort into its recess during use so that the base is in substantial surface contact with the mounting flange and adapter frame throughout its peripheral extent.

Abstract: This invention relates to a discharge trough for use in combination with a discharge gate of a railroad hopper car. The discharge gate has slanted side walls terminating in spaced, longitudinally extending lips which define a longitudinal discharge opening. The longitudinal trough has a somewhat rounded or circular cross section and merges with the lips of the slanted side walls to define the discharge opening. The slanted side walls are generally flat in the area adjacent the lips, with the lips having a rounded contour merging into the somewhat rounded inner wall of the trough. There is a rod-like discharge valve positioned within the trough adjacent and slightly below the lips to control the flow of material through the discharge opening.

Abstract: A cover for hopper car hatch openings as provided by railroad car and freight handling equipment. Each hatch opening is provided with a peripherial seal located out of and beneath the hatch opening and a pressure releasing latch for securing the cover against the seal and locking the cover upon the hatch openings.

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.

Abstract: A sliding gate for closing the discharge opening of a hopper having inclined side walls is mounted on elongated low-friction bodies or assemblies secured between the underside of upturned inclined side margins of the gate and the top sides of inclined side walls of a discharge chute secured to the hopper and extending below the discharge opening. The elongated low-friction bodies or assemblies are mounted to create a labyrinth seal by methods which include the use of a plurality of integral stud portions extending through corresponding openings along the inclined side margins of the gate, adhesives, keyways, welding or combinations thereof. The elongated low-friction bodies or assemblies are of a polymeric material such as nylon, Teflon or a composite material like ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene impregnated with molybdenum disulfide. The polymeric low-friction material may be molded to a metal matrix which is mounted on the gate by means of welding.

Abstract: A sliding gate for closing the discharge opening of a hopper having inclined side walls is mounted on elongated low-friction bodies or assemblies secured between the underside of upturned inclined side margins of the gate and the top sides of inclined side walls of a discharge chute secured to the hopper and extending below the discharge opening. The elongated low-friction bodies or assemblies are mounted to create a labyrinth seal by methods which include the use of a plurality of integral stud portions extending through corresponding openings along the inclined side margins of the gate, adhesives, keyways, welding or combinations thereof. The elongated low-friction bodies or assemblies are of a polymeric material such as nylon, Teflon or a composite material like ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene impregnated with molybdenum disulfide. The polymeric low-friction material may be molded to a metal matrix which is mounted on the gate by means of welding.

Abstract: A railway car hopper having downwardly and inwardly inclined side walls and end walls defining a rectangular hopper discharge opening is provided with a downwardly extending discharge chute. A gate for opening and closing the hopper discharge opening is supported for reciprocable movement by the discharge chute. The discharge chute has a pair of integral cold formed steel members defining the side walls and integral cold formed steel members defining the end walls. The discharge chute side walls each have an upper inwardly and downwardly directed flange. The top surfaces of the flanges each engage an outside surface of one of the downwardly and inwardly inclined side walls of the hopper. The bottom surfaces of the flanges each define a gate receiving and supporting elongated groove with a remaining portion of its respective integral cold formed member. The grooves each include a downwardly and inwardly directed surface for slidingly and sealingly supporting upwardly and outwardly turned edges of the gate.

Abstract: A multi-deck rail car having an interior cavity and an end opening for loading and unloading lading is provided with a pair of door assemblies, each of which includes a plurality of panels. Each door assembly is pivotally movable for closing at least a portion of the end opening. Double vertical pivots mount each of the door assemblies and are provided such that they move the door assemblies between their respective open position, storage position and closed position. The double vertical pivot means are cranks pivoted at either end to permit pivoting of the door assemblies for storage within the rail car, when their panels are folded back upon one another. A lock for the doors includes a rigid projection extending from the edge of a first one of the panels behind and past an adjacent edge of the second of the two panels and in register with a cutout in the adjacent edge of the second panel.

Abstract: A rail car having an interior cavity and an end opening for loading and unloading lading. A pair of door assemblies, each of which includes a plurality of panels, each pivotally movable with respect to the other for closing at least a portion of the end opening. Pivot means for mounting each of the door assemblies are provided to move the door assemblies between their respective open position and closed position. The pivot means are mounted for movement toward and away from the interior of the rail car to permit storage of the door assemblies within the rail car when their panels are folded back upon one another. The means for moving the pivot means include a guide means in the form of a pair of parallel racks and co-operating pinions drivingly mounted on a common manually driven shaft, one rack and co-operating pinion each at the top portion and the bottom portion of the door assembly.