Abstract: A pushbutton for use with a spray device for mixing a primary substance with a predetermined quantity of a secondary substance stored in such a manner as to be sheltered from the air. The pushbutton is constituted by a first piece (2) which is moveable relative to a second piece (1) containing the emission channel (11) of the pushbutton. The first piece (2) includes containers (22) advantageously disposed like rounds in the cylinder of a revolver. Each container (22) contains the desired quantity of the secondary substance and is hermetically closed by a membrane (23). When the user actuates the pushbutton, a suitable resilient piece (3) and suitable connection pieces (15, 25) ensure that the user automatically displaces the first piece (2) in such a manner that the membrane (23) of one of the containers (22) is pierced and the corresponding dose of secondary substance is delivered into the emission channel (11) so as to be sprayed out together with the main substance.

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 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: A gate for attachment to the hopper of a railway car or other vehicle which carries particulate material. The gate has a pair of sloping walls with facing surfaces, and the lower ends of the walls are spaced apart to permit the particulate material to be discharged into a trough below the spaced ends from which the particulate material is removed by a vacuum hose. A pair of separately operable, rotatable valves of arcuate cross-section are disposed at the space between the ends of the walls to block or permit particulate material flow into the trough. Pneumatically operable agitators are mounted on the walls to prevent bridging of the space between the wall ends of the material during removal thereof.

Abstract: A system for preventing contamination of particulate material in a railroad hopper car during transportation and unloading of the material from the car, comprising transporting the material in the railroad hopper car with a filter on each of the various inlet and outlet openings of the car, then upon reaching the point for unloading, applying a vacuum to draw the material out of the car through one spout with its filter removed, while leaving the filters in place on the other openings in the car to prevent contamination of the product from external sources during transportation and unloading. The preferred filter for the railroad car spouts has a frame, a conical filter bag, and a filter bag support ring for mounting on a spout on the car.

Abstract: An arrangement of pneumatic-transporting a powdered or granular maerials such that they do not lodge, using the transport pipe smaller diameter having the bore 2-6 times as long as maximum length of the particle of the powdered or granular materials to be transported, while the powdered or granular materials are caused to float at the inlet of the transport pipe or in the vicinity of the inlet thereof by the powdered or granular materials floating apparatus with help of the collector provided on the transporting destination at the outlet of the transport pipe.

Abstract: A gasket for a hopper outlet is disclosed, particularly well-suited for use between the frame of the hopper and the frame of an unloading outlet for a railway hopper car. The gasket has a central metal frame carrying a pair of relatively hard, continuous elastomeric seals along each edge of the frame. Each of the seals has a lip which protrudes upwardly (or downwardly) and outwardly from the body of the gasket so as to be readily compressed upon initially mating with the frames to ensure sealing even if the frames are warped. Such a gasket may be retrofitted to existing outlets.

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 hopper system comprising a hopper having a side wall sloping downwardly and radially inwardly from the inlet at the top of the hopper to the outlet at the bottom of the hopper. Secured to the inside of the hopper is a membrane having a shape generally conforming to the inside of the hopper and closely overlying the conical side wall of the hopper. The membrane is permeable to air but generally impermeable to fluent material in the hopper and has a plurality of pockets for receiving stay bars. The upper and lower cylindric ends of the membrane are clamped to clamping assemblies mounted on the inside of the hopper adjacent its upper and lower ends, respectively, without the use of fasteners extending through holes in the ends of the membrane or other means of attachment to the hopper. The clamping assemblies are removable from the hopper without first unclamping the membrane whereby the clamping assemblies and membrane may be readily installed in and removed from the hopper.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improved in-car slurrying of dry bulk powder is described. The apparatus includes a plurality of mutually spaced conduits which extend downwardly from a manifold through the center of each hopper compartment in a hopper car, each conduit opening about one foot above the bottom of the compartment. As water is admitted at the bottom of each compartment, air under pressure is dispensed through the conduits to aerate the center of the bulk powder in each compartment, and the conduits themselves provide a path for the water upwardly through the center of the bulk powder.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for transferring pulverent material from a supply container to a delivery point comprises an elongate exhaust pipe having a first end and a second end with a filter near the second end, an intake pipe extending from the supply container to the first end of the exhaust pipe and a transfer pipe extending from the first end of the exhaust pipe to the delivery point. With the first end of the exhaust pipe connected with the intake pipe, suction is applied to the second end of the exhaust pipe to draw pulverent material from the supply container to and through the intake pipe into the exhaust pipe where it is blocked by the filter. The first end of the exhaust pipe is then connected with the transfer pipe and air under pressure is supplied to the second end of the exhaust pipe to propel the pulverent material from the exhaust pipe to and through the transfer pipe to the delivery point and to clear the filter.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted feeding apparatus for delivering finely pulverized particulate materials, such as powdered metal, is disclosed in which a material holding hopper has a feeder tube extending into a lower disposed filling chamber subject to sub-atmospheric pressures to effect vacuum assisted gravity flow of the powder material into the filling chamber. Powder in the filling chamber is vacuum/gravity fed to a mold cavity until the cavity is filled, whereafter powder is accumulated in the filling chamber until the discharge end of the feeder tube is occluded by the powder to disrupt the feeding operation.

Abstract: A gasket for a hopper outlet is disclosed, particularly for use with an unloading outlet for a railway hopper car. The car has hopper walls which slope inwardly and downwardly, and a hopper frame is carried by the lower portions of the hopper walls. The outlet has an outlet frame which mates with and is secured to the hopper frame, with a seal between the hopper frame and the outlet frame for effectively sealing the outlet frame to the hopper frame, and for effectively preventing entrappment of powdered or particulate lading at the interface of the hopper frame and the outlet frame. In one embodiment, such a seal may be retrofitted to existing outlets.

Abstract: A hopper discharge structure is provided with slope sheets defining a throat over a pneumatic outlet tube. The throat is closed by two sliding valve plates. The valve plates are moved by crank arrangements which provide an operator with varying mechanical advantage in operating the valve means. The crank arrangements are mounted on operating shafts extending the length of the hopper. The operating shafts extend through the hopper end walls and are adjustably supported for rotation by reinforcement plates adjustably mounted on the end walls. The operating shafts are equipped with handles which accommodate the insertion of an extension bar from two different directions. The outlet tube is covered by a hinged cap and locking structure. The cap is cammingly sealed over the end of the outlet tube by a cam lock and handle mounted on the locking structure. Outward force on the handle unlocks and withdraws the cap from the end of the outlet tube.

Abstract: For emptying a garbage room in a multistory residential building, a garbage container is placed in the garbage room, which container has a transport duct between the lower portion of the container and a garbage truck collection chamber, which can be evacuated to produce suction in the duct and thus move the garbage, usually in garbage bags. According to the invention, the garbage container is provided with an externally operable valve at one inlet for garbage coming from a garbage chute and an opening for inlet of air, which opening is also provided with a sealable valve. For emptying, during a first evacuation phase, both valves are closed and during a second evacuation phase, the valve at the air intake is open. The garbage bags are thus evacuated of air during the first evacuation phase and pressed together into a significantly smaller volume by the air flowing in during the second evacuation phase, at the same time as they are removed through the transport duct.

Abstract: A pneumatic gate for railway hopper cars which includes a non-tubular valve member deployed above a gate discharge tunnel, with said valve member being actuated by rotation about a bearing shaft which is disposed along an axis parallel with the axis of the gate discharge tunnel.

Abstract: A control arrangement is provided to control discharges of compressed gas to vessels containing difficult to unload material comprising one or more control valves connected in operative relation to discharge valves operative to discharge compressed gas from an accumulator. The control valves are provided with a time control circuit for controlling the time of discharge of compressed gas from the accumulator(s). This time control circuit may comprise a pneumatic, electro-mechanism and/or electronic timers. The control arrangement may also include an arrangement for applying pressure gas to discharge valves which are in operative relation with accumulator discharge devices which are not being utilized for unloading. Various arrangements for mounting the accumulators, discharge valves, conduits, and discharge devices are illustrated in connection with a railway hopper car. Certain discharge devices mounting arrangements are preferred in unloading certain types of lading.

Abstract: A pneumatic hopper discharge outlet is fastened to the bottom of railway hopper cars for controlling the discharge of lading. The outlet includes a pair of side walls, a pair of sloping side walls, and a valve shaft which is rotatably mounted in the end walls and extends longitudinally between the side walls. An eccentric valveshaft mounting is disposed on each end wall for rotation about a valve shaft mounting axis and includes a valve shaft receiving bore disposed eccentric to the valve shaft mounting axis. By rotating the eccentric valve shaft mounting, the lateral position of the valve shaft relative to the side walls is adjusted. Lading which has passed the valve shaft is received in a trough and is conveyed through a transition tube to conventional pneumatic off-loading equipment. In transit, the transition tube is closed by a closure cap assembly.

Abstract: An enclosed railroad hopper car has a valve that controls the discharge of the commodity it carries. The valve is opened and closed by an operating mechanism that is subjected to vibration and inertial forces during transit. This can jar open the valve. A cap for the discharge hopper outlet opening interlocks with the valve operating mechanism when the valve is closed so as to prevent the valve from opening. The cap is held in its open position by a trap that prevents it from swinging closed while the car is being unloaded.

Abstract: A hopper discharge valve for railway hopper cars used in transporting granular lading with the valve including a fully rotatable valve shaft having a plurality of discharging channels formed in its periphery throughout its length, with the channels being arranged so as to provide simultaneous discharge from both ends of the hopper car or from selected ends thereof.

Abstract: A pellet gate, or valve, assembly to control pneumatic discharge of pellets from a hopper car. The inclined side walls of the hopper terminate in spaced edges forming a valve gap, with a semi-cylindrical trough extending below the valve gap. Centered in the valve gap is a valve rod having an axis which is spaced above the axis of the trough. The rod has oppositely facing longitudinal grooves defining a figure eight cross section and mounted for rotation from a valve-closed position to a valve-open position in which the grooves of the rod face the opposed edges of the hopper side walls for passage of the pellets. A cylindrical control collar is coaxially mounted at the end of the trough for rocking movement. A geared connection is interposed between the control collar and the end of the valve rod so that rocking movement of the control collar is effective to rotate the rod between its open and closed conditions.

Abstract: A method for emptying a catalytic converter where a container is attached to the fill hole of the converter such that a nozzle attached to an air line is inserted within the bed area of the converter. A vacuum source is turned on inducing negative pressure within the container and an air line is attached to the nozzle. The negative pressure results in a first air flow for carrying pellets from the bed area into the container while the air line passes through the nozzle in a jet stream of air and dislodges any particles remaining in the bed area so that they may flow into the container along with the first stream of air.An apparatus for performing the above described method is also described.

Abstract: In a pneumatic discharge outlet a rotatable discharge conduit attached to a rotatable lading control valve extends outboard of the outlet end wall. Operating handles to move the lading control valve between open and closed positions are located on the discharge conduit. Laterally spaced, large headed bolts extending outwardly parallel to the discharge conduit, are threaded into respective threaded portions of the operating handles. An outlet end cap includes laterally spaced end cap lugs having openings through which the large headed bolts pass. In closed position the heads of the large headed bolts engage the end cap lugs to hold the end cap in closed position. To remove the end cap the large headed bolts are rotated an amount sufficient to free the end cap lugs from the large headed bolts so that the end cap may be removed from the discharge conduit. The large headed bolts have bolt stops attached to their inner ends to prevent removal of the bolts when the end cap is removed.

Abstract: In a pneumatic discharge outlet a rotatable discharge conduit attached to a rotatable lading control valve extends outboard of the outlet end wall. Operating handles to move a lading control valve between open and closed positions are located on the discharge conduit. Laterally spaced large headed bolts extending outwardly parallel to the discharge conduit, are threaded into respective threaded portions of the operating handles. In moving the valve element between open and closed positions, the large headed bolts move circumferentially about the hub with the handles. An outlet end cap includes laterally spaced end cap lugs having openings through which the large headed bolts pass. In closed position the heads of the large headed bolts engage the end cap lugs to hold the end cap in closed position. To remove the end cap the large headed bolts are rotated an amount sufficient to free the end cap lugs from the large headed bolts so that the end cap may be removed from the discharge conduit.

Abstract: An automatic bottom load and unload railway tank car includes a tank body having a quick fill and unload lading valve in the tank bottom. A vent valve is also located in the tank bottom and a vent conduit extends from the vent valve up to the top of the tank to a tank vent located in the top of the tank. At a tank car loading and unloading site, the tank car is spotted over an actuating assembly located between and below the tracks. The actuating assembly includes a lading valve actuator and a vent valve actuator which move upwardly and engage the tank bottom to open the lading valve and the vent valve. A lading conduit is connected to the lading loading and unloading valve and to a storage container. A vent conduit is connected between the vent valve and the upper portion of a storage container. During loading, lading passes from the storage container through the lading valve into the tank, and air and vapors pass from the tank to the top of the storage container.

Abstract: A pair of longitudinally spaced valve elements are provided in a pneumatic outlet. Each valve element includes a body portion, preferably a segment of a circle, including a body portion edge which seats on a body portion valve seat located adjacent the body portion edge, and a moment portion extending eccentrically away from the body portion, which seats on a moment portion valve seat. Each valve element is movable to a sampling position in which the body portion is spaced from the body portion valve seat and the moment portion is spaced from the moment portion valve seat to allow lading for sampling to flow into the discharge conduit. Each valve element includes a pair of operating shafts extending in opposite directions from the valve element, parallel to the discharge conduit, through opposite end walls of the outlet. Operating handles are attached to the operating shafts outside the end walls of the outlet.