U.S. patent number 3,707,919 [Application Number 05/098,518] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-02 for railroad hopper car with flexible hatch cover.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pullman Transport Leasing Company. Invention is credited to Franklin P. Adler.
United States Patent |
3,707,919 |
Adler |
January 2, 1973 |
RAILROAD HOPPER CAR WITH FLEXIBLE HATCH COVER
Abstract
A railway hopper car includes a roof structure having an
elongated hatch opening through which the car is loaded. A cover
for the opening includes a pair of elongated flexible sheets having
outer edges connected to the roof around the peripheral edges of
the hatch opening and inner edges of the flexible sheets in
adjacent relation are provided with slide fastener means permitting
the cover to be opened to expose the entire length of the hatch and
operable to close the hatch opening with the cover in sealed
relation. The fastener means includes a pair of slide members which
may be moved longitudinally along the cover to provide a limited
access to the interior of the car in spaced locations along the
length of the cover.
Inventors: |
Adler; Franklin P. (Michigan
City, IN) |
Assignee: |
Pullman Transport Leasing
Company (Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22269646 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/098,518 |
Filed: |
December 16, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
105/377.03;
296/219 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61D
5/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B61D
39/00 (20060101); B61d 039/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;105/377 ;52/41,55,49
;296/137R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Forlenza; Gerald M.
Assistant Examiner: Bertsch; Richard A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A railway hopper car having a roof structure including a roof
sheet having an opening through which materials are directed for
loading said car, the improvement comprising:
a cover for said opening,
said cover including a pair of flexible sheet members having outer
edges connected to said roof sheet around the peripheral edge of
said opening,
said sheet members having inner edges disposed in coextending
adjacent relation,
said inner edges being adapted to be relatively spread apart for
uncovering said opening to provide access therethrough,
slide fastener means interconnecting said inner edges to close said
opening,
said slide fastener means including interlocking means on said
inner edges, and a pair of slidable members, each being engageable
with said interlocking means during movement in one direction for
interengaging said interlocking means and in an opposite direction
for disengaging said interlocking means,
said slidable members being movable in opposite directions for
uncovering substantially said entire opening, and movable in the
same direction while relatively longitudinally spaced apart to
provide limited access at a plurality of locations along said
adjacent inner edges.
2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,
said opening being of elongated configuration and said inner edges
being substantially coextensive therewith.
3. The invention in accordance with claim 1,
including sealing means overlapping said inner edges for covering
said slide fastener means.
4. The invention in accordance with claim 3,
said sealing means including an elongated flap of resilient
material connected to one of said inner edges and being
substantially coextensive therewith, said flap and said other inner
edge having interengaging disconnectable interlocking means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the art of railway hopper cars and
particularly to those having elongated hatch openings in the roofs
thereof which are closed and sealed by means of hatcher covers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art in the field of the invention is particularly well
disclosed in the Schmeider U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,630, patented Apr.
6, 1965 which discloses a hopper car including an elongated hatch
and covers therefor. Hatch covers for closing the hatch openings of
hopper cars have usually been constructed of metal, such as steel,
aluminum, or a plastic material. Such covers have required
considerable maintenance since they are subjected to rough usage
and if misaligned or damaged they no longer adequately perform the
required sealing function with resultant damage to the interior
materials of the car due to the elements. Also such hatch covers
generally have been hinged to the roof of the car and fastened down
by suitable levers or other securing latch means. These also are
susceptible to damage and require frequent repair. In the use of
the elongated hatch cover during loading a substantially large
portion of the elongated hatch is exposed. Thus when finely divided
materials are blown through the hatch cover a certain amount of
dust is discharged into the atmosphere thus adding to pollution.
The present invention overcomes this problem and those of the
aforementioned prior art structures.
SUMMARY
The present invention utilizes a flexible or rubber-like hatch
cover which is divided into a plurality of adjacent sheets
extending longitudinally over the hatch opening and being connected
to the roof of the hopper car around the peripheral edges of the
opening. Inner longitudinally adjacent edges of the rubber-like
sheets are interconnected by conventional slide fastener means of
the zipper or equivalent type. In the present invention, two
sliders or slide members are provided and these are movable along
the length of the inner edges of the sheets which are provided with
conventional type of interengaging or interlocking elements. Thus
the hatch may be completely exposed along the length thereof by
simply moving the slide members in opposite directions from a
central point longitudinally outwardly, or only limited portions of
the cover may be opened to provide access to the interior of the
car. By sliding the sliders in spaced-apart relation from one end
of the cover to the other, a limited access may be had to the
interior of the hopper car at all points along the length of the
cover. Thus the invention removes the need for hinge elements and
troublesome clamping mechanisms, seals, etc. which are necessary in
covers of the prior art. The slide fasteners are covered by a
flexible flap which is removably secured to the cover for
effectively sealing the hatch cover and protecting the slide
fasteners against the elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a hopper car
showing an improved hatch closure arrangement;
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a hatch cover
arrangement in a fully open position;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a hatch cover in a
partially open position;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line
4--4 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line
5--5 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 4; and
FIG. 7 is a modification of a sealing arrangement for a flexible
hatch cover.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings a railway hopper car is generally
designated by the reference character 10. The car 10 includes car
ends 11 and sides 12 supporting a roof structure generally
designated at 13. The roof structure 13 includes a roof sheet 14
extending the full length and width of the hopper car, the said
roof sheet 14 including upwardly extending side flanges 15
connected to longitudinally spaced rear flanges 16 providing a
substantially rectangular hatch opening 17.
A cover 18 for the opening 17 includes a pair of adjacent
longitudinally extending sheets 19 and 20 which may be made of a
flexible material such as rubber, plastic, or other equivalent
material having flexibility, endurance, and high sealing
characteristics. Flexible sheets 19 and 20 may also be suitably
reinforced so as to impart a certain rigidity while still
maintaining the desirable flexible features which will be described
below in more detail. As best shown in FIG. 6, each of the sheets
19 and 20 is provided with outer edges 21 which are slotted as
indicated at 22 and are connected in overlapping receiving
engagement with the upwardly extending flanges 15. The transversely
extending opposite ends of the sheets 19 and 20 are similarly
constructed to connect to the rear flanges 16 of the roof sheet 14.
Bolt and nut fasteners 23 spaced along the outer edges 21 suitably
connect the outer edges to the upwardly extending flanges 15 and
16.
The cover sheets 19 and 20 respectively include inner edge portions
24 and 25 which are disposed in substantially contiguous or
adjacent relation longitudinally and substantially parallel to the
length of the cover 18. Each of the inner edge portions 24 and 25
are provided with slide fastener means in the form of teeth or
interlocking members 26. The slide fastener may be of the zipper
type or of any equivalent wherein the inner edge portions 24 and 25
are provided with interengaging means and are interlocked by means
of a slide member and also disengaged by the same. The slide
members are designated at 27 and have connected thereto hinged tabs
28.
As best shown in FIG. 3, two slide members 27 are utilized and when
spread apart provide a limited access opening 29. A loading tube 30
is adapted to be inserted through or positioned above the limited
access opening 29 for supplying materials to the inner portions of
the hopper car 10.
As best shown in FIG. 6, in the closed position of the cover 18, a
flap 31 also of flexible material is formed integrally with the
sheet 19 and includes longitudinal serrations 32 which interengage
longitudinal serrations 33 provided on the upper surface of the
inner edge portions 25. The flap 31 is adapted to cover the slide
fastener means 26 and slide members 27 and effectively seal the
cover 18 during the closed position thereof.
A modified form of flap 31 is shown in FIG. 7 which includes
dovetailed projections 34 which are clampingly engaged within
dovetailed recesses 35 formed in the inner edge portion 25 of the
sheet 20.
THE OPERATION
In order to open the cover 18, the flap 31 is lifted upwardly
providing ready access to the slide fastener means 26. As indicated
in FIG. 1, in the fully closed position the slide members 27 may be
positioned substantially centrally of the car. The slide members 27
are moved in opposite directions opening the cover 18 from the
closed position shown in FIG. 1 to the completely open position
shown in FIG. 2. As indicated in FIG. 5, the cover sheets 19 and 20
are disposed substantially vertically or they may be folded
downwardly over the roof sheets. The sheets 19 and 20 may have a
stiffening member embedded therein in the form of metallic
screening or other stiffening means. In the event that the sheets
19 and 20 are so reinforced they may, nevertheless, assume the
position shown in FIG. 5 as indicated. However, the sheets 19 and
20 remain flexible and are easily returned to the closed position.
To close the cover the sheets are merely folded down into the
closed position and the slide members 27 are moved and returned to
the position indicated in FIG. 1. Either one of the slide members
27 of course may be moved separately, thereby uncovering only
portions of the cover along the length of the car as desired.
As shown in FIG. 3, the slide members 27 also may be spread apart
slightly to provide the limited access indicated at 29. This is
particularly desirable to provide access to a relatively small area
whereby if relatively fine comminuted material is discharged from
the tube 30 into the car, there is little chance of dust escaping
and thus polluting the atmosphere. Further, in this manner there is
less chance of spillage and the slide members 27 may be moved only
slightly apart to just permit the tube 30 to be inserted
therethrough to eliminate the escape of material. Also in the
separated position of the slide means 27 they may be moved
conjointly along the entire length of the inner edge portions 24
and 25 thus permitting limited access at any point along the length
of the cover.
Thus the advantages over the prior art as indicated above are
readily apparent. Maintenance is at a minimum since the covers need
not be hinged and need not have extensive mechanical clamping
means. Further, effective sealing is obtained since the connection
of the cover to the roof sheet prevents any possibility of the
entrance of rain, ice, etc. The slide fastener means 26 is
completely protected by the overlapping flap 31 so that under all
weather conditions it may readily be opened in a simple manner to
effectuate its proper function.
* * * * *