U.S. patent number 3,828,948 [Application Number 05/214,795] was granted by the patent office on 1974-08-13 for pneumatic hopper car door actuating system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pullman Incorporated. Invention is credited to William H. Peterson.
United States Patent |
3,828,948 |
Peterson |
August 13, 1974 |
PNEUMATIC HOPPER CAR DOOR ACTUATING SYSTEM
Abstract
In a hopper car arrangement, a hopper car door pneumatic
actuating system including the standard air reservoir tank and a
railroad car actuated ground-mounted induction coil, and a solenoid
valve energized thereby, for opening the hopper doors, and a
railroad car actuated ground-mounted induction coil and a solenoid
valve for closing the doors whereby a supply valve and a four-way
pilot valve is actuated to supply pressurized air from the tank to
selectively operate a two-way acting air cylinder attendant to
opening and closing of the hopper doors, and a latch for holding
the supply valve open until the doors are closed and a flow control
check valve in the train-line adjacent the air receiver tank to
block off any rapid drop in pressure in the air reservoir tank to
prevent application of the air brakes when operating the hopper
doors.
Inventors: |
Peterson; William H. (Homewood,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Pullman Incorporated (Chicago,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22800437 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/214,795 |
Filed: |
January 3, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/387; 105/240;
105/310 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61D
7/28 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B61D
7/28 (20060101); B61D 7/00 (20060101); B61d
007/08 (); B61d 007/28 (); B61d 007/30 () |
Field of
Search: |
;105/240,310
;214/1BB,58,63 ;246/182 ;303/21CF |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Sheridan; Robert G.
Assistant Examiner: Beltran; Howard
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Myers; Richard J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for opening and closing the doors of a hopper
vehicle comprising:
a source of fluid power,
flow control means including a door opening control valve and a
door closing control valve, each in communication with the source
of fluid power,
selector means having an inlet in communication with said source of
fluid power, a pair of outlets, and positionable means for
selectively communicating said inlet with each of said outlets,
respectively, in response to operation of said control valves,
motor means in communication with the outlets of said selector
means for opening and closing the hopper doors in response to
pressurized fluid in each of said outlets from said source of fluid
power;
actuatable means operatively connected with the respective control
valves of the flow control means for selectively operating same for
supplying pressurized fluid from the source of fluid power to
selectively position the positionable means of said selector
means,
said flow control means also including a supply valve between said
source of fluid power and said selector means,
holding means for selectively maintaining said supply valve open,
and
resetting means cooperative with said motor means and operatively
engagable with the holding means in response to the hopper doors
being closed for causing said supply valve to close to thereby
block off fluid communication between the source of fluid power and
the inlet of the selector means.
2. The invention according to claim 1, and
said source of fluid power being a reservoir tank containing air
under pressure, and including a pair of reservoir outlet lines
connected to the door opening control valve and door closing
control valve, respectively.
3. The invention according to claim 1, and
said motor means including a cylinder having a pair of ends
communicating with respective outlets of said selector means and a
piston in said cylinder movable between said ends in a first
direction for opening the doors and a second direction for closing
the doors.
4. The invention according to claim 3, and
a piston rod on said piston extending from said cylinder, and
said resetting means comprising an arm mounted on said piston
rod.
5. The invention according to claim 1, and
said actuatable means being electrically energizable solenoids for
operating said door opening and door closing control valves,
and
induction means for selectively energizing each of said
solenoids.
6. The invention according to claim 5, and
said induction means including a first ground mounted coil for
opening the hopper doors and a second ground mounted coil spaced
from the first coil for closing the doors.
7. The invention according to claim 1, and
said supply valve including pressurized fluid controlled means
positionable to open and close the supply valve in communication
with said source of fluid power through said door opening control
valve.
8. The invention according to claim 7, and
said positionable controlled means of said supply valve including a
projecting head end, and
said holding means comprising a pivotal latch arm having a hooked
end which is positionable to engage said head end when the supply
valve is open.
9. An apparatus for opening and closing the doors of a moving
hopper vehicle comprising:
an air reservoir tank,
a supply valve in fluid communication with the reservoir tank,
a first door opening solenoid valve in fluid communication with the
tank and with the supply valve,
a second door closing solenoid valve in fluid communication with
the tank,
a pilot valve in fluid communication with the supply valve and the
first and second solenoid valves, said pilot valve being placed in
a first position by said first solenoid valve attendant to opening
of the doors and being placed in a second position by said second
solenoid valve attendant to closing of the doors,
a pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement in fluid communication
with the pilot valve, the pilot valve including means for moving
the piston in a first direction for opening the doors and means for
moving the piston in a second direction for closing the doors,
first ground-mounted induction means for controlling the opening of
the vehicle doors,
first induced means acted on by the first ground-mounted induction
means and operatively connected with the first solenoid valve for
operating same for supplying air from the reservoir tank to the
supply valve and the pilot valve for moving the piston in said
first direction to thereby open the hopper doors,
second ground-mounted induction means for controlling the closing
of the doors, second induced means acted upon by the second ground
induction means and being operatively connected with the second
solenoid valve for operating same for supplying air from the
reservoir tank to the pilot valve for moving the piston in said
second direction to thereby close the doors,
said supply valve having a latch receiving projection,
a latch mechanism connecting with said projection in the door open
position of the supply valve for holding the supply valve open
during door open, dumping, and door closing operations of the
hopper doors,
biasing means urging said supply valve to a closed position,
and
tripping means on said pneumatic piston operatively engageable with
the latch mechanism after the hopper doors are closed for releasing
said projection to allow the supply valve to be moved to the closed
position by the biasing means.
10. An apparatus for opening and closing the doors of a moving
hopper vehicle comprising:
a source of pressurized fluid,
a supply valve in fluid communication with the source of fluid,
a first door opening valve in fluid communication with the source
of fluid and with the supply valve,
a second door closing valve in fluid communication with the source
of fluid,
a pilot valve in fluid communication with the supply valve and the
first and second valves, said pilot valve being placed in a first
position by said first valve attendant to opening of the doors and
being placed in a second position by said second valve attendant to
closing of the doors,
fluid motor means in fluid communication with the pilot valve, the
pilot valve including means for moving the fluid motor means in a
first direction for opening the doors and means for moving the
fluid motor means in a second direction for closing the doors,
first induced means operatively connected with the first valve for
operating same for supplying fluid from the source of pressurized
fluid to the supply valve and the pilot valve for moving the fluid
motor means in said first direction to thereby open the hopper
doors,
second induced means operatively connected with the second valve
for operating same for supplying fluid from the source of
pressurized fluid to the pilot valve for moving the fluid motor
means in said second direction to thereby close the hopper
doors,
a holding mechanism connecting with the supply valve in the door
open position of the supply valve for holding the supply valve open
during dumping operation of the hopper doors, and
tripping means correlated with the movement of the fluid motor
means and engageable with the holding mechanism after the hopper
doors are closed for releasing said holding mechanism to allow the
supply valve to be moved to the closed position.
11. The invention according to claim 10, and
said first door opening and second door closing valves being
electrically induced valves.
12. The invention according to claim 10, and
said fluid motor means comprising a pneumatic piston and cylinder
arrangement.
13. The invention according to claim 10, and
first ground-mounted induction means adapted to act upon said first
vehicle-mounted induced means and second ground-mounted induction
means adapted to act upon said second vehicle-mounted induced
means.
14. The invention according to claim 10, and
said holding mechanism including a latch mechanism and a projection
on the supply valve couplable with said latch mechanism in the door
open position of the supply valve for holding the supply valve open
during dumping operations of the hopper doors.
15. The invention according to claim 14, and
said tripping means comprising a member connected with said fluid
motor means and engageable with said latch mechanism after the
hopper doors are closed for releasing the projection to allow the
supply valve to be moved to the closed position.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE
U. S. Pat. application Ser. No. 89 to James J. Schuller filed Jan.
2, 1970 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,729 issued Jan. 16, 1973 is hereby
incorporated herein by reference thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of art ertaining to actuating
mechanisms for opening pertaining closing hopper car doors and, in
particular, to fluid actuating means in the dumping area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known, as, for instance, disclosed in the
aforementioned U. S. Pat. application, that hopper doors on hopper
railroad cars may be opened and closed pneumatically but it is
desirable to provide an automatic arrangement which is simple in
construction providing for improved automatic opening and closing
of the hopper doors. This is what this invention solves.
SUMMARY
It is a general object of this invention to provide for pneumatic
opening and closing of the doors of a hopper car.
The pneumatic operating system involves electrical induction means
mounted on the ground and tripped by the car as it goes toward the
dumping area whereby the source of pressurized air on the car is
released by a valving mechanism to operate a pneumatic motor for
opening of the car doors and further ground-mounted tripping
mechanism in the form of an induction means acts again on the
pneumatic means to cause the hopper doors to close, once the
dumping of the contents within the hopper car is completed.
It is a further object of utilizing, in combination with this
opening and closing, tripping induction mechanisms pneumatic
valving, a pneumatically operated piston and cylinder arrangement,
and a mechanical latch for holding the valving open until the doors
are later closed.
A further advantage of the invention is to provide for a
combination supply valve and pressure responsive flow control valve
whereby leakage of air pressure from the air cylinder is prevented
when the car is operated over the road with the hopper doors closed
insuring that no air pressure can go from the air reservoir tank
into the pneumatic cylinder and piston arrangement. The invention
provides for a flow control check valve means which seals off any
rapid pressure drop in the tank so that the trainline does not feel
this rapid drop in pressure to cause application of the vehicle
brakes which would be undesirable, ordinarily, when operating the
hopper doors.
These and other objects, purposes and advantages will become
apparent from reference to the following description, appended
claims and attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a hopper car;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the electropneumatic door operating
mechanism showing the valves therefor in position for opening the
hopper doors; and
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the hopper car door
actuating system including the valves therefor in a position for
closing of the doors of the hopper car.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the drawings, there is shown a railroad
hopper car 2 (see FIG. 1) which is provided with hopper doors 4 and
a door operating mechanism in the form of pneumatic means 6 which
operates linkage 7 opening the doors 4 as, for instance, shown in
the aforesaid U. S. Pat. application Ser. No. 89.
The pneumatic means 6, which includes the hydraulic cylinder 8 and
the piston 9 or drive or motor means, forms part of the
electro-pneumatic system 10 which controls the opening and closing
of the hopper doors 4. The system 10 further includes the air
reservoir tank or source of pressurized fluid or power 11 which is
typically found on railroad hopper cars for operating the car air
brakes through a trainline or main air pressure line 12 which is
coupled with other cars for supplying pressurized air to the tank
11. A flow direction control check valve 13 is located in the
trainline 12 adjacent the tank 11 and this valve permits flow of
the pressurized air in one direction from the trainline into the
tank. This check valve in effect seals off or blocks any rapid
pressure drop in the tank from going into the trainline. If there
were to be a rapid drop in pressure in the train line during
penumatic operation of the doors this would cause immediate
application of the brakes which would be undesirable ordinarily
when operating the hopper doors.
Inducting or induction means in the form of an induction coil or
actuating or tripping means 14 is mounted on the ground. This
ground coil 14 energizes the induced coil actuated or tripped means
15 which is located on the car for activating the pneumatic
components for operating the hopper doors to an open position. Lead
lines 16 lead from the induced coil 15 to the flow control means or
solenoid valve means or electrically induced valve 17 for operating
the solenoid valve by energizing the solenoid 17a to move the valve
member 18 against the valve spring 19 to allow communication of the
passages or grooves 20 of the member 18 with the reservoir line 21.
FIG. 2 shows the valve 17 in an energized condition. In the
de-energized condition the ports or grooves 20 permit the air
within the valve 17 to be exhausted by way of exhaust line 22. The
groove or port 20 is in communication with the valve outlet line 23
which is in fluid communication with the supply line 24 to the
supply means or valve 27 and the pilot valve line 25 to the pilot
or selector valve 47. Air pressure introduced into line 24 goes
into the chamber 28a of the supply valve 27 and moves the supply
valve member 28 to the right (as viewed in FIG. 2) lining the
groove or port 30 with the reservoir exit line 26 from the
reservoir tank 11 so that the air under pressure may pass to the
supply valve 27 via supply outlet line 27a. The supply valve member
28 in moving to the right moves against its compression spring
29.
The supply valve member 28 is provided with a right end projection
31 provided with a projection hook or head end 32 which is
engageable with the hook end 34 of the latch arm 33 of the latch or
lock mechanism or holding means 33a. The latch arm is pivotally
connected at 35 to the wall or other type of fixed pivot and a
latch rod is pivotally connected at 36 to the latch arm 33 and
extends downwardly and is provided at its lower end with a latch
rod movable pivot 38 to which is pivotally connected the tripped
arm 40 which is on the pivot fulcrum means 39. A latch tripping arm
or resetting means 41 is mounted at the lower end of the piston rod
42 of the piston 9. The piston is further provided with a piston
head 43 within the pneumatic chamber 44 of the cylinder 8. The
chamber 44 is provided with exiting conduits 45 and 46 which
respectively communicate with grooves or ports 51 and 51'
respectively located in the valve member 50 of the pilot valve 47.
At the left end of the pilot valve 47 the chamber 49 is provided
with an open pocket as the spool valve member 50 is shifted to the
right so that the exhaust conduit 48 is blocked by the spool valve
but the exhaust conduit 48' is open to allow any air between the
piston head 43 and the cylinder 8 to be exhausted via line 46 and
port 51 ; whereas line 45 which communicates with the interior of
the cylinder 8 above the piston head 43 is in communication with
the groove or port 51 and the conduit portion 27a for receiving
pressurized air from the reservoir 11.
For closing of the doors there is provided an induction or inducing
means or coil 14' which is ground-mounted and acts on the induced
coil 15' located on the car for closing of the car doors as the car
passes by the coil 14'. Electrical lead lines 16' connect the
induced coil 15' with the solenoid 17a' of the solenoid 17' which,
when energized, moves the valve member 18' to the right against the
valve spring 19', as seen in FIG. 3 and this places the reservoir
tank exit line 21' in communication with the groove or port 20'
whereby air flows into line 25' to go into the right end pocket of
the chamber 49 for moving the spool valve 50 to the left to provide
for fluid communication from the tank 11 into the cylinder chamber
44 via line 46 while the air exhaust port 22' is blocked by the
solenoid valve member 18'. As the piston rod moves upwardly the arm
41 contacts the tripped arm 40 for releasing the latch arm 33 to
allow the spring 29 in the supply valve 27 to return the supply
valve member 28 to the left to block off fluid communication from
the reservoir 11 via line 26 to the supply valve 27 and the pilot
valve 47. The purpose of the supply valve is to prevent leakage of
pressurized air from the air cylinder 8 when the car is operated
over the road with the hopper doors closed. This supply valve 27
insures that no air under pressure can go from the air reservoir
tank via air lines into the cylinder.
Thus, what is provided here is an electrical pneumatic system
operating on door opening and closing linkage for pneumatically
opening and closing the hopper doors and involves the use of the
induction coil 15 on the car for opening the car hopper doors in
passing over the coil 14 on the ground whereby the supply valve 27
and the pilot valve 47 are pneumatically positioned for operating a
pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement for opening of the doors.
The pneumatic system is provided with a pneumatically actuated
latch mechanism 33a for holding the supply valve 27 open until the
doors are later closed. The ground-mounted induction coil 14' is
located beyond the dumping area further down the track for closing
the car doors and, consequently, the pilot valve is pneumatically
positioned to have the pneumatic piston 9 and cylinder 8
arrangement close the doors, and at the end of the closing cycle
the latch arm 33 for holding the supply valve 27 open is then
tripped by the arm 41 at the lower end of the piston rod 42 so that
no further pressurized air can escape from the air reservoir tank
11.
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and
illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto,
except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those
skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able
to make modifications and variations therein without departing from
the scope of the invention.
* * * * *