Pneumatic Discharge Arrangement For Railway Car Hoppers

Abstract

A pneumatic discharge arrangement for railway hopper cars comprises a housing divided into separate discharge chambers each including an elongated opening. The openings are regulated by valves slidably positioned. A trough is disposed beneath the openings for receiving materials therefrom and is adapted to be connected to a pneumatic conveying means. Each valve is movable to one side of the trough to an open position. A tunnel is provided at the top of the trough and is coextensive therewith above the valve in its open position. The tunnel facilitates cleaning of the upper surface of the valve at the completion of the discharge operation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

F. p. adler -- Ser. No. 889,497, filed Dec. 31, 1969, now Patent No. 3,637,262, issued Jan. 25, 1972;

W. r. shaver-- Ser. No. 121,379, filed Mar. 5, 1971;

Et al.,

J. j. schuller -- Ser. No. 121,380, filed Mar. 5, 1971.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The field of art to which this invention pertains is in hopper discharge arrangements of the pneumatic type and particularly to those which are associated with railway hopper cars.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Prior art structures include discharge arrangements wherein converging walls direct material to a tubular enclosure or trough provided at the bottom thereof. The trough is usually connected at opposite ends thereof to a suitable pneumatic source such as a pneumatic conveyor and regulation of the amount of discharge is governed by a rotatable tube disposed within the trough. The rotatable tubes of the prior art generally include one or more longitudinal openings which can be set into various positions for regulating the amount of material discharged. The degree of discharge control in devices of this type has not always been as accurate as desired. The present arrangement provides for a metered discharge wherein fine accuracy is maintained and valve means is movable to a position where it can be readily cleaned after the discharge operation has been accomplished.

SUMMARY

The prime object of the invention is to provide an improved pneumatic discharge arrangement for hopper cars wherein discharging material is accurately controlled by a valve arrangement positioned in an elongated trough disposed beneath laterally disposed slope sheets providing a pair of discharge openings. Valves are moved laterally over the openings and include operating means for moving the same to provide accurate control and a metered discharge. The trough is formed with a space to one side of the discharge opening and underneath the same into which the valve members may be moved to an open position. In this position a suitable tunnel is provided above the valve so that material on the valves is readily visible to the operator in the open position. The tunnel is specifically provided for assisting in the cleaning out operation which can be accomplished by washing the valve throughout the tunnel by means of water under pressure, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one half portion of an improved pneumatic hopper discharge arrangement, the portion not shown being substantially identical;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing a door for a washout tunnel disposed in an open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As best shown in FIG. 1, a hopper discharge structure 10 includes a housing 11 provided with transversely spaced sloping walls 12 connected at opposite ends to vertical end walls 13. The housing 11 is adapted to be suitably secured to the discharge end of a hopper structure (not disclosed) which, in turn, may be supported on a railway hopper car. The housing 11 includes a pair of substantially centrally spaced divider walls 14 and a tubular trough 15 is disposed below the sloping walls 12 throughout the entire length of the housing 11. The tubular trough 15 includes a lower arcuate wall portion 16 connected to vertical walls 17 and 18. The vertical wall 17 is connected to the lower end of one of the sloping walls 12 as best shown in FIG. 2. The housing also includes horizontally extending attaching flanges 19 which are suitably apertured so as to be readily secured by means of nut and bolts (not shown) to a hopper structure of a railway car. As indicated above the housing 11 is symmetrical on opposite sides of said divider walls 14.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the right hand sloping wall 12 is secured at its lower end to an extension 20 which projects transversely slightly more than halfway across the tubular trough 15 and provides with the vertical wall 17 an elongated opening generally designated at 21. The extension 20 also is integral with a diagonal wall 20' integrally connected to the vertical wall 18. Thus the extension 20 and wall 20' are formed in the shape of an inverted V at the upper portion of the tubular trough 15.

The valve assembly for regulating the metered discharge of material through the opening 21 is generally designated by the reference character 22. The valve assembly 22 includes separately operable mechanisms for opening each of the two valves and valve openings provided in longitudinally spaced relation on opposite sides of the divider wall 14, these mechanisms being more specifically disclosed in the above cross-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,262.

Each valve assembly 22 includes interconnected upper and lower wedge-shaped valve members 23 and 24, respectively. The valve member 24 is provided with a raised or beveled sealing edge 24' at the rear thereof. The valve members 23-24 are supported on rods 25 which extend transversely across the tubular trough 15 and are slidably supported on bearings 26 supported on walls 17-18 the said bearings 26 provided with suitable slide bores 27. Each of the rods 25 is provided at one end with rack teeth 28 engageable with pinion teeth 29 provided on operating shafts 30. In FIG. 1 the operating shaft 30 disposed at the top of the view functions to control the valve at the other end of the housing which is not disclosed and is more specifically described in the latter above mentioned patent application. Each of the operating shafts 30 is provided with operating heads 31 adapted to be engaged by a suitable bar or tool for rotating the shafts to effectuate transverse sliding movement of the rods 25.

As generally shown in FIG. 1, opposite ends of the tubular trough 15 are suitably provided with outlet tube sections 32 projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the end walls 13. Each outlet tube section 32 is provided with a flange 33 disposed inwardly from the end of each tube section and which is adapted to be engaged by the end of a tubular cap or closure member 34. A bail shaped locking mechanism 35 is adapted to releasably secure each of the caps 34 over the tube sections 32. This is more specifically described and shown in the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,262 and is not further described herein.

As best shown in FIGS. 2-4, a washout tunnel is designated at 36. The tunnel 36 extends coextensive with the tubular trough 15 immediately below the extension 20 and the wall 20'. At opposite ends of the tunnel 36 there are provided vertical wall portions 38 which are secured at opposite ends to the extension 20 and to the wall 17, the said wall portions 38 terminating as indicated at 39 at one side of the washout tunnel 36. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, at opposite ends of the washout tunnel 36 there are provided access doors 40 which are of a configuration conforming to the shape of the tunnel 36 and in the closed position effectively closing said tunnel. The doors 40 include hinge arms 41 pivotally connected to hinge members 42 supported on each of the walls 38 by means of vertical hinge pins 43.

THE OPERATION

In FIG. 1 the valve assembly 22 is shown in the closed position covering the opening 21. However, in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 which are sections along FIG. 1, the valve assemblies 22 have been moved to one side or to the open position with respect to the opening 21. FIG. 1 discloses the closed or transport position of the housing 11. When it is desired to discharge materials from hopper car the closure caps 34 are removed and a suitable pneumatic conveying means is connected to one of the outlet tube sections 32. The valve assemblies 22 at opposite ends of the housing may now be operated by the operating shafts 30.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 1, the lower shaft 30 is rotated which in turn provides for movement of the rods 25 to move the valve assemblies 22 to the open position shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The valve assemblies 22, of course, generally are moved only a short distance at a time to provide for a desired metering of material through the openings 21. However, at the conclusion of the operation the valve assemblies 22 are moved to the position shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 wherein they are disposed immediately beneath the walls 20-20' and are entirely within the washout tunnel 36. In this position, the operator now opens the hinged doors 40 at opposite ends of the tubular trough whereupon he may visibly inspect the upper surface and any material which remains upon the upper valve member 23. He then will wash out the tunnel and valve by utilizing water from a hose under pressure to send a stream of liquid through the tunnel which effectively cleanses the valve assembly 22. At the end of the washing operation the hinge doors 40 are again closed as disclosed in FIG. 3 to provide with the vertical walls 38 a vertical barrier-like construction at opposite ends of the tubular trough 15. Thus at opposite ends of the tubular trough, the walls 38 and the closed doors 40 during pneumatic operation provide an upper barrier or restriction effectively increasing the velocity flow of material which is deposited at the bottom of the trough and which is then carried outwardly through the pneumatic discharge conveying means. In the closed position at the valve 22, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, the beveled sealing edge 24' is in sealed condition relative to the extension 20.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic discharge structure for hoppers comprising,

a discharge housing including a pair of downwardly converging walls,

a horizontal trough substantially coextensive with and positioned below said walls,

said trough including transversely spaced vertical wall portions connected to lower portions of said converging walls,

conduit means adapted to connect said trough to pneumatic conveying means;

the improvement comprising one of said converging walls including an extension substantially coextensive with said trough,

said extension having an edge portion disposed in horizontally spaced relation relative to and between said lower vertical wall portions and forming therewith a relatively narrow elongated opening,

a valve member supported on said housing for movement from a retracted open position underneath said extension to a portion underneath said elongated opening for closing the same,

an elongated tunnel having opposed open ends,

said tunnel being laterally spaced with respect to said opening and substantially coextensive therewith, said tunnel providing access at said ends to said valve member upon movement of said valve member into said tunnel whereby said valve member is in an open position relative to said opening and material residue may be removed from said valve member through said open ends, at least a portion of said tunnel being disposed beneath said extension and one side of said tunnel being formed by one of said vertical wall portions.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said trough being provided at opposite ends thereof with vertical end wall portions extending transversely and partially downwardly from the upper end of said trough to provide a partial end closure at opposite ends of said trough,

said vertical end wall portions having openings registering with said tunnel,

and movable closure members on said trough movable between open and closed positions relative to said openings.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said valve member being supported on a plurality of horizontally spaced slide members slidably supported on said trough whereby said valve member is moved transversely relative to said tunnel to said closing portion.