Abstract: A trailer unloading system anchors one or more trailers to a deck, with, or without tractor attached. The sides of the trailers are free to pivot from a top, longitudinal, pivot axis once unlatched from the edge of the trailer floor. The deck tilts the trailers sideways, the doors swing free, and the load discharges. The deck returns to level, the sides latch to support the floor and the trailers are ready to be reloaded.

Abstract: A portable rotary trailer tipper is provided for emptying the trailer contents through opening the open top of the trailer. The tipper includes an elongated transport that is portable and supports a trailer inverter. A platform for supporting the trailer is positioned along one side of the transport. A dumping chute for receiving the material dumped from the trailer is positioned along the opposite side of the transport. A trailer positioned upon the platform is engaged by the inverter then rotated upwardly and across the transport to dump material from the trailer into the chute. The chute directs the dumped material into a landfill site. A method of emptying material successively from a stream of trailers is also provided.

Abstract: Apparatus for receiving and dumping a top-unloading car. Cradle track extends from a car receiving position to a car dumping position, and is inclined downwardly from the car-receiving position. A car-receiving cradle assembly movably mounted on the cradle track includes rocker members with arcuate peripheries for contact with and support by the cradle track. Car rails support a loaded car on the cradle assembly with the combined center of gravity of the car, of its load and of the cradle assembly being located relative to the peripheries of the rocker members such that the cradle assembly, with a loaded car thereon, can roll by gravity action from a normal vertical position at the car-receiving position through an angle in the range of about 70 to about 110 degrees and, with an emptied car thereon, can roll by gravity action from the car-dumping position to return to a position within that range.

Abstract: A rotary rail car dumper has a rail car platform forming part of a rigid tipping structure which, through end ring members, is mounted for rotation about a central longitudinal axis for tipping a rail car to dump its contents. Between the rail car platform and the ring members are pin joint connections allowing flexure under gravity loading independently of the ring members, at least before tipping. The maximum stresses occurring during operation of the dumper are thereby reduced. The dumper installation is also provided with means for extending the length of the rail car platform in order to handle rail cars of different lengths in unit trains.

Abstract: A car dumping apparatus intended for open top railway cars or other containers which are moved sequentially through a supporting frame and are rotated upwardly and to one side about a single horizontal axis to discharge the contents onto a dumping area located on one side. A first hydraulic piston motor rotates the frame and railroad car as a combination about the horizontal axis. Thereafter a second hydraulic piston motor advances the combination of frame, railroad car, an intermediate support member and the first hydraulic piston motor, as a combination, about the same horizontal axis until the open top of the railroad car confronts the dumping area whereby the contents of the railway car are spilled onto the dumping area. Economies of construction and operation are achieved as a result of the rotation about a single horizontal axis.

Abstract: Loaded rail cars in succession are positioned at an unloading station adjacent to plural connected car lifting and inverting jaw devices which revolve around a common horizontal pivot axis extending lengthwise of the car and across the jaw devices. First power operators connected between the relatively movable jaws of the devices produce the required relative movements of the jaws of the devices in unison to effect gripping of each loaded car in preparation for raising, inverting and emptying its contents into a receiver, and subsequently releasing each car following its return empty to an upright position at the unloading station. Second power operators connected between a stationary base and the jaw devices serve to rotate the jaw devices around the common horizontal pivot axis with each car toward and from the car emptying and upright positions. The rotating jaw devices may be counterweighted to reduce the power required to move them around their common pivot axis.