Abstract: A hopper car gate with opposed double doors for discharging cargo from a hopper car. The gate has joined side walls and end walls which present top and bottom openings. A flange joined to the walls adjacent the top opening is adapted to be joined to the hopper car. A rail extends between opposite walls adjacent the bottom opening. First and second doors are supported on the rail. The doors are moveable in opposite directions between a closed position which blocks the bottom opening and an open position which allows the cargo to exit through the opening.

Abstract: A rapid discharge railcar door consisted of a plastic main body reinforced by an aluminum frame, and which provides sufficient strength against load-bearing forces and withstands changes in temperature. The main body of the door is made from a polymer in a reaction injection molding process. The door reduces the overall weight of the railway car, thus allowing more coal to be shipped per car.

Abstract: A door and operating apparatus for railway hopper cars includes a door having a first pivot point for rotary attachment to the hopper. A second pivot point is formed on the door and a cross beam is positioned adjacent to the door for movement in a vertical direction. The cross beam has a third pivot point formed thereon and a link arm has one end rotatably attached to the door at the second pivot point and an opposite end rotatably attached to the cross beam at the third pivot point. A screwjack is coupled to vertically move the cross beam in an upward direction for opening the doors and in a downward direction for closing the doors. The doors have an arcuate surface extending generally vertically when in the closed position to reduce the effort required to open the doors when the car is loaded.

Abstract: A covered hopper railway car (10) for transporting difficult-to-unload ladings includes a pair of parallel, spaced apart side walls (12a, 12b) and opposed end walls (14a, 14b). A roof (16) covers the car and has an opening (18) therein for loading lading into the car. The bottom has outlets (24a-24g) attached thereto for discharging lading from the car. Each outlet comprises a drop-bottom outlet whose length and width are sufficient so as to substantially prevent lading from bridging over the outlet thereby facilitating discharge of the lading.

Abstract: A low profile pneumatic outlet for a covered hopper railway car is disclosed which allows the bottom slope sheets of the hopper car to be moved downwardly closer to the rail thereby increasing the cubic capacity of the car while maintaining the car within AAR clearances. The low profile aspects of the pneumatic outlet result from the provision of an outlet opening in the bottom of the outlet which is opened and closed by a slidable, translatable gate operated by gate opening and closing cam mechanisms positioned generally horizontally with respect to the gate. The preferred gate operating mechanism is a cam operated mechanism which generates a high mechanical advantage initially upon effecting opening movement of the gate thereby to overcome lading and static friction loads, and then, after movement of the gate has been initiated, a lower mechanical advantage is provided so as to more rapidly move the gate toward its open position.

Abstract: A railway hopper car has a through center sill including an elongated central section substantially A-shaped in transverse cross section, two end sections substantially hat-shaped in transverse cross section and two transition sections respectively connecting said end sections to the adjacent ends of the central section. The central section has upper and lower parts, each of which may comprise a plurality of subsections arranged in end-to-end relationship. Each transition section includes a transition member rectangular at one end for mating with the end section and trapezoidal at the other end for mating with the lower part of the central section. Each transition section also includes an inverted V-shaped top reinforcing member and a horizontal bottom reinforcing plate. Alternative forms of the lower part of the central section are disclosed.

Abstract: A door operating mechanism for a bottom dump railway hopper car including a plurality of longitudinally mounted, divergently opening discharge doors held in the closed position by a plurality of longitudinally spaced claw-like latches. Each pair of transversely opposite latches includes operating rods connecting each latch to a bell-crank positioned beneath the longitudinal hood of the car. The bell-cranks are operatively connected to a longitudinally disposed tension rod, which includes linkages at either end for actuation of the mechanism by trackside mounted cams.

Abstract: A door lock mechanism for hopper cars includes a longitudinally extending operating rod actuated by a linkage means tripped by a track side cam. The rod in turn actuates cam locks by means of bell cranks which cause the locks to rotate and release transverse tension rods connected to doors for opening the same. The cam locks include cams engageable with teeth on the tension rods for securely locking the doors in a closed position. The operating rod also includes cam means effectively engaging the cam locks to positively lock the same in a closed position.

Abstract: A side dump railway hopper car with outwardly movable discharge doors includes a door operating mechanism including pivoted keeper engaging members adapted to be rotated between lock an open positions. The pivoted keeper engaging members are actuated by linkage mechanism transversely movable by a longitudinally extending movable cam adapted to be supported on the underframe of the hopper car.