Fluidizing Hopper Slope Sheet Pad Assembly

Abstract

A fluidizing or aerating pad for a covered hopper railway car mounted on a hopper slope sheet immediately above a bottom outlet structure. The fluidizing pad extends across substantially the entire width of individual slope sheets and comprises a flat base sheet in face-to-face contact with the associated slope sheet and a fluid permeable outer member having a peripheral flange secured to the base sheet. The fluid permeable member is formed of a woven wire mesh and is additionally secured to the base sheet at predetermined positions inwardly from the peripheral flange.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of fluidizing structures in covered hopper cars to fluidize powdered material being unloaded has been employed heretofore. However, such fluidizing structures have normally been employed within the bottom outlet structures or within the corners of the hoppers to aid or assist in the unloading. The permeable member heretofore has normally been formed of a fabric material or of sintered metallic fibers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present fluidizing or aerating pad is primarily employed as an auxiliary pad to assist in fluidizing or aerating finely divided material being unloaded from a bottom outlet structure of a covered hopper railway car. While it is to be employed primarily in conjunction with a fluidized bottom outlet structure, it may be employed separately, if desired. The fluidizing pad may be easily attached to the slope sheet of an existing covered hopper car by suitable nut and bolt combinations.

The fluidizing pad preferably extends across the entire width of the slope sheet from corner to corner of the associated hopper and comprises a flat base sheet in face-to-face contact with the associated slope sheet, and a fluid permeable upper member having a peripheral flange secured to the base sheet. The fluid permeable member is formed of a woven wire mesh and is additionally secured to the base sheet at predetermined positions inwardly of the peripheral flange. Suitable nut and bolt combinations secure the fluidizing pad at its peripheral flange to the subjacent slope sheet and a suitable opening may be drilled or cut in the slope sheet to receive the nut and bolt combinations. A suitable air inlet extends through an opening in the slope sheet and forms a fluidtight connection therewith. The permeable material may be formed by the bonding of several wire mesh layers and preferably has a permeability of around 5 to 10.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which two of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a transverse section of a portion of a hopper of a covered hopper railway car indicating the fluidizing pad comprising the present invention secured to the hopper slope sheet immediately above an associated bottom outlet structure;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the hopper portion illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the fluidizing pad of FIGS. 1 and 2 shown secured to the adjacent hopper slope sheet;

FIG. 4 is a section taken generally along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan of a modified embodiment of the invention in which a permeable membrane has dimples formed therein which contact the base at intervals; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken generally along line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, a hopper of a covered hopper railway car is indicated generally 10 and has a pair of spaced sides 12. Side sills 14 extend along the sides of the railway car and hopper side slope sheets 16 extend downwardly from side sills 14. Opposed hopper end slope sheets 18 are secured between side slope sheets 16 and form junctures or corners with slope sheets 16. Sheets 16 and 18 slope downwardly to a hopper discharge opening 20 defined by an outwardly extending mounting flange 22.

A bottom outlet structure generally indicated 24 has an upper flange 26 mating with hopper flange 22 and secured thereto by suitable bolt and nut combinations 27 for attaching bottom outlet structure 24 beneath the associated hopper 10. Outlet slope sheets 28 and 29 of bottom outlet structure 24 slope downwardly and terminate at a tubular discharge outlet 30 having a butterfly valve 31 mounted therein on a shaft 32. Bearings 34 support shaft 32 for rotation on outlet 30. A handle 36 on an end of shaft 32 permits manual actuation of butterfly valve 31 and a releasable catch 37 retains handle 36 in position.

A lower cover 38 is pivotally mounted at 39 to outlet 30. Releasable swing bolts 40 retain cover 38 in position and when released permit swinging of cover 38 about pivot 39 to an open position for the discharge of lading upon actuation of butterfly valve 31.

A fluid permeable member 42 is secured in spaced relation to outlet slope sheets 28, 29 to form a plenum chamber 44 between permeable member 42 and slope sheets 28, 29. A suitable source of air may be connected to inlet 45 to supply air to plenum chamber 44 for fluidizing the material in bottom outlet structure 24.

Fluidizing pads generally indicated 46 and 46A which comprise the present invention are secured to respective slope sheets 16 and 18 immediately above bottom outlet structure 24. While fluidizing pads 46 and 46A are shown on all four slope sheets 16 and 18, it is understood that the pad may be secured to one or more of selected slope sheets as desired. Fluidizing pads 46 and 46A are generally identical except in regard to length as slope sheets 16 and 18 are of different dimensions. Fluidizing pad 46 only is to be described in detail, it being understood that fluidizing pad 46A is similar.

Fluidizing pad 46 includes a base flat sheet 48 and a fluid permeable member or membrane 50 having a peripheral flange 52 welded to base 48 about its entire periphery. Generally cylindrical spacers 54 are positioned at intervals between sheet 48 and permeable member 50 and a plenum chamber 51 is formed between sheet 48 and permeable member 50. Permeable member 50 is spot welded to spacers 54 for additional securement of permeable member 50 to base 48.

Permeable member 50 may be formed from a plurality of stainless steel wire mesh layers bonded to each other at contact points by sintering and then calendering. As a specific example, three stainless steel wire mesh layers may be bonded together for a thickness of 0.052 inch with a permeability of between around 6 to 13. A membrane 50 which has been found to be satisfactory is sold under the trademark "Dynapore" by Michigan Dynamics Division of Ambac Industries, Inc., 1565 Oakman Blvd., Detroit, Mich.

For securing fluidizing pad 46, suitable bolt and nut combinations 56 are extended through openings in flange 52 and base sheet 48 for securing pad 46 to the adjacent slope sheet 16. To provide air, an externally threaded pipe forms an air inlet 58 and is threaded within a suitable opening in slope sheet 16 and base 48 as shown in FIG. 4. An internally threaded retainer 66 may be threaded about inlet 58 for drawing inlet 58 tight against base 48. A suitable source of air may be connected to inlet 58 to provide air to plenum chamber 51 between base 48 and permeable member 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, a separate embodiment of the invention is disclosed in which a fluidizing pad 68 secured to a slope sheet 16A has a fluid permeable member 70 with dimples or bulges formed therein. Permeable member 70 is spot welded to a base 72 at selected positions 74 and a plenum chamber 76 is formed between base 72 and permeable member 70. A peripheral flange 78 about permeable member 70 is secured to lower base 72. A plenum chamber 76 formed between base 72 and permeable member 70 receives air from means similar to that of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4. Permeable member 70 is formed of a stainless steel wire mesh material.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a hopper structure, opposed hopper side slope sheets and opposed hopper end slope sheets funneling downwardly to a bottom discharge hopper opening, a mounting flange extending about the bottom discharge hopper opening, a bottom outlet structure mounted beneath the hopper and secured to the mounting flange, a separate independent fluidizing structure mounted on at least one of the hopper slope sheets above the bottom outlet structure and extending across a substantial width of the associated slope sheet, said fluidizing structure comprising a generally flat base sheet in face-to-face contact with the subjacent associated slope sheet and a fluid permeable sheet mounted on the base sheet to form a plenum chamber therebetween, a peripheral flange extending about the entire periphery of said separate fluidizing structure, means securing said peripheral flange to the inner surface of the slope sheet for mounting said fluidizing structure on the slope sheet, and means to supply air to the plenum chamber.

2. In a covered hopper railway car as set forth in claim 1, a plurality of separate spacers within the plenum chamber secured between the fluid permeable sheet and said generally flat base sheet to space the fluid permeable sheet from the base sheet for forming the plenum chamber.

3. In a covered hopper railway car as set forth in claim 1, said fluid permeable sheet being dimpled and contacting the base sheet at spaced intervals, the fluid permeable sheet being secured to said base sheet at the dimpled contact areas.

4. In a covered hopper railway car, opposed hopper side slope sheets and opposed hopper end slope sheets funneling downwardly to a bottom discharge hopper opening, a mounting flange extending about the bottom discharge hopper opening, a bottom outlet structure mounted beneath each hopper and secured to the mounting flange, a separate independent fluidizing pad mounted on at least one of the hopper slope sheets immediately above the bottom outlet structure and extending across a substantial width of the associated slope sheet, said fluidizing pad comprising a generally flat base sheet in face-to-face contact with the subjacent associated slope sheet and a stainless steel fluid permeable sheet mounted on the base sheet, said fluid permeable sheet being formed of a stainless steel wire mesh and secured to the base sheet to form a plenum chamber therebetween, a peripheral flange extending about the entire periphery of said separate fluidizing structure, means securing said peripheral flange to the inner surface of the slope sheet for mounting said fluidizing structure on the slope sheet, and means to supply air to the plenum chamber.

5. In a covered hopper railway car as set forth in claim 4, a plurality of separate spacers within the plenum chamber secured between the fluid permeable sheet and said generally flat base sheet to space the fluid permeable sheet from the base sheet to form the plenum chamber.

6. In a covered hopper railway car as set forth in claim 4, said fluid permeable sheet being dimpled and contacting the base sheet at spaced intervals, the fluid permeable sheet being secured to said base sheet at the dimpled contact areas.

7. In a covered hopper railway car as set forth in claim 4, said fluid permeable sheet having a permeability over around six and being of a thickness less than around 0.10 inch.