U.S. patent application number 11/446728 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-07 for railroad hopper car door actuating mechanism.
Invention is credited to Fred J. Taylor.
Application Number | 20060272541 11/446728 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37492864 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060272541 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Taylor; Fred J. |
December 7, 2006 |
Railroad hopper car door actuating mechanism
Abstract
An actuating system for operating the doors of a railroad hopper
car while dumping the contents outside of the rails. A main lever
is rotatably coupled within the center sill with a rod extending
from an arm of the lever to a door which covers the hopper. As the
lever is rotated, the rods act to move the doors away from the
hoppers.
Inventors: |
Taylor; Fred J.;
(Burlington, KY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JERROLD J. LITZINGER
2134 MADISON ROAD
CINCINNATI
OH
45208
US
|
Family ID: |
37492864 |
Appl. No.: |
11/446728 |
Filed: |
June 5, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60687081 |
Jun 3, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
105/299 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61D 7/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
105/299 |
International
Class: |
B61D 3/00 20060101
B61D003/00 |
Claims
1) An actuating system of actuating the doors of a hopper car of
the type having a pair of doors closing each hopper; said car
having a center sill, comprising: a main lever, rotatably coupled
within said center sill, said lever having a pair of arms extending
from its central region; a pair of rods, each coupled between an
arm of said main lever, and a door which covers a hopper, such that
when said lever is rotated, said doors shift away from said hopper,
allowing the contents of said car to be discharged outside of the
rails.
2) The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuating lever
coupled to said main lever for rotating said main lever.
3) The system of claim 2, wherein said actuating lever is curved.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. Nos. 60/687,081, filed Jun. 3, 2005, and
60/691,484, filed Jul. 2, 2005 which applications are incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention is directed in general to a device for
opening the hopper doors of a railroad car, and, in particular, to
a system for automatically opening and closing the hopper doors of
a railroad car.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] A common type of railroad freight car in use today is the
freight car of the type wherein the load is discharged through
hoppers in the underside of the body. Such cars are generally
referred to as hopper cars and are used to haul coal, phosphate and
other commodities.
[0006] After hopper cars are spotted over an unloading pit, the
doors of the hoppers are opened, allowing the material within the
hopper to be emptied into the pit.
[0007] Hopper cars, which may be covered, are usually found with
one of two hopper configurations: transverse, in which the doors
closing the hoppers are oriented perpendicular to the center line
of the car; or longitudinal, in which the doors closing the hoppers
are oriented parallel to the center line of the car. An example of
a hopper car with transverse doors is shown in U.S. Pat. No.
5,249,531, while an example of a hopper car with longitudinal doors
is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,126.
[0008] Prior art references which teach operating mechanisms for
opening and closing hopper doors include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,596,609;
4,741,274; 3,187,684; 3,611,947; 3,786,764; 3,815,514; 3,818,842;
3,949,681; 4,222,334; 4,366,757; 4,601,244; 5,823,118; and
5,249,531. There are several disadvantages to the hopper door
operating mechanisms described in some of the aforementioned
patents. One problem is that some of the prior art mechanisms are
designed such that each actuating mechanism is connected to doors
from two separate hoppers. Thus, if the mechanism fails, it effects
the operation of two hoppers. Another disadvantage of some of the
above described hopper door mechanisms is that the operating
mechanisms limit the distance of the door motion, thus limiting the
open area of the car's bottom. This arrangement slows the unloading
process and causes additional costs and potential damage to the car
due to increased periods in thaw sheds. However, many of these
systems usually require automatic operation of the doors, which
requires an operating cylinder and valving.
[0009] Finally, it is often desirable to empty the contents of a
railcar while the car is in motion, thus allowing the car to be
emptied quicker. This method of operation also normally requires
the use of expensive air cylinders and valving.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide an actuating mechanism which allows the discharge doors of
a hopper car to open and close automatically.
[0011] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
simple automatic mechanism for actuating the discharge doors of a
hopper car which can quickly empty the contents.
[0012] It is a still further object of the present invention to
provide an actuating mechanism for a hopper car which can be used
to dump the load outside the rails.
[0013] These and other objects of the present invention will be
more readily apparent from the descriptions and drawings which
follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a standard three pocket
hopper car having a single transverse door associated with each
hopper which is capable of using the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of hopper car having a
longitudinal door set which is capable of using the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a railroad car using the
present invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the mechanism of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism of the present
invention installed on the center sill of a railroad car;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the main lever of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the main lever of the present
invention;
[0021] FIGS. 7A-B, show two views of the main lever of the present
inventions;
[0022] FIGS. 8A-B, show two views of the second plate of the
present invention;
[0023] FIGS. 9A-B, show two views of the first plate of the present
invention;
[0024] FIGS. 10A-B, show two views of the actuating lever of the
present invention;
[0025] FIGS. 11A-C, show three view of the couplers of the present
invention;
[0026] FIGS. 12A-B, show two views of the links of the present
inventions;
[0027] FIGS. 13A-B, show two views of other links of the present
invention;
[0028] FIGS. 14A-B, show two views of another link of the present
invention;
[0029] FIG. 15 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention;
[0030] FIGS. 16A-C shows 3 views of a main lever for use with the
present invention;
[0031] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative
embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] FIGS. 18A-B, show two views of a link for use in the present
invention
[0033] FIGS. 19A-B, show two views of a coupler for use in the
present invention;
[0034] FIGS. 20A-D, show four views of hinges for use in the
present invention;
[0035] FIGS. 21A-C, show three views of the hinge butts for use
with the present invention; and
[0036] FIGS. 22A-C, show three views of the operating beam fulcrum
for use with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0037] FIGS. 1-2 display two different major types of hopper cars.
FIG. 1 shows hopper cars using transverse doors, while FIG. 2 shows
a car using longitudinal doors.
[0038] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a typical three
pocket railway hopper car, generally designated at 2, which may be
equipped with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Car
2 is provided with a plurality of hopper units 4, a plurality of
wheels 5, and a longitudinally extending center sill 6. Wheels 5
are mounted on a series of truck axles 7. Each hopper unit 4 is
provided with a door 9 which is moveable to open and close each
hopper unit 4. An actuating system for this type of car is taught
in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/863,887, filed Jun. 8, 2004,
which application is incorporated herein by reference.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a typical hopper
railcar, generally indicated at 10, having longitudinal doors which
may be equipped with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. Car 10 is provided with a longitudinal door set 12, a
plurality of wheels 14, and a longitudinally extending center sill
16. An operating system for this type of hopper car is taught in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,126, issued Oct. 28, 2005, which patent is
incorporated herein by reference. Although the system taught in
this patent teaches the operation of a single pair of doors, the
mechanism can be used to open multiple sets of longitudinal
doors.
[0040] FIG. 3 shows the mechanism of the present invention for use
on a car in which the contents are dumped outside of the rails 18.
The main lever 20 is rotatably coupled within the center sill 22 of
the railroad car 24 between a first plate 26 which slides over
extension 28 of lever 20 within center sill 22 and a second plate
30 abutting the outside of center sill 22. Plates 26 and 30 are
attached together using bolts placed through apertures 32 in each
plate. An actuating lever 34 is fitted on a square section 36 of
lever 20 by sliding slot 38 of lever 34 over section 36.
[0041] A first door rod 40 is coupled to one arm of lever 20 by a
coupler 42 which is rotatably connected to the arm by a link 46.
The other end of rod 40 is coupled to door 45 by a coupler 42 which
is attached to a bracket on the door by a link 50. A second door
rod 52 is coupled to the other arm of lever 20 by a coupler 42
which is rotatably coupled to the arms by a link 44. The other end
of rod 52 is coupled to door 58 by a coupler 42 which is attached
to a bracket on the door by a link 50.
[0042] To open the doors, actuating lever 34 is rotated by virtue
of a connection to an opening 64 in lever 34. Lever 34 may be
coupled to an air cylinder for rotation, or a manual lever could
possibly be connected to opening 64 of lever 34 to rotate the
lever.
[0043] As lever 34 rotates, main lever 20 also rotates by virtue of
its connection within slot 38 around square section 36 of lever 20.
As lever 20 rotates, coupler 42 causes rods 40 and 52 to pull on
the hopper doors 45 and 50, causing them to the open vertical
position as can be seen in FIG. 3. This allows the contents of each
hopper to empty outside of the rails of the track.
[0044] FIG. 15 shows another embodiment of the present invention
which uses an over center latch for insuring a positive locking for
the door system. In this embodiment, link 80 (FIG. 18) contains an
offset section 82 which accommodates door rod 84 such that in its
closed position, it passes through the center line of the
mechanism, adding an additional safety feature to the
mechanism.
[0045] FIGS. 15 and 17 show an additional embodiment of the present
invention which uses a system that pulls the hopper doors open,
rather than pushing them open, as shown in FIG. 3. The lever of
FIG. 16A uses a main lever 90 which is 6.degree. over center in its
closed position, as seen in FIG. 17. When lever 90 is rotated, the
linkages pull each door toward the open position. The door hinges
92 used in this embodiment are shown in greater detail in FIGS.
20A-D. In addition, hinge butts 94 are shown in FIGS. 21A-C, and an
operating beam fulcrum 96 is shown in FIGS. 22A-C, and couplers 98
(FIGS. 19A-C) couple the rods to the main lever.
[0046] FIG. 15 shows a lever 100 which is coupled to an air
cylinder for opening the door mechanism. The curve in lever 100
allows the mechanism to travel over center when the doors are
closed. As can be seen in FIG. 15, the mechanism is 3.degree. over
center when the doors are closed, adding a safety feature to the
door system.
[0047] This mechanism can be used to open a single set of
continuous longitudinal doors, and can also be used on individual
sets of hoppers which are closed by longitudinal door sets.
[0048] In the above description, and in the claims which follow,
the use of such words as "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "distal",
"proximal", "forward", "outward", "rearward", "vertical",
"horizontal", and the like is in conjunction with the drawings for
purposes of clarity.
[0049] While the invention has been shown and described in terms of
preferred embodiment, it will be understood that this invention is
not limited to this particular embodiment, and that many changes
and modifications may be made without departing from the true
spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended
claims.
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