Railway car hatch cover

Abstract

A railway car hatch cover includes an exterior shell cover, a gasket, and a mounting ring. The exterior shell cover has an outer-side and an under-side. The gasket is a vented gasket or a non-vented gasket, and the gasket is mounted to the mounting ring. The mounting ring is secured to the under-side of the exterior shell cover. The mounting ring is removable, and the gasket is replaceable with a second gasket. The second gasket can be vented or non-vented. The mounting ring is reinstallable on the under-side of the exterior shell cover. The replaceable gasket allows a single hatch cover to function as a vented hatch cover or a non-vented hatch cover depending on the type of gasket installed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railway car hatch cover comprising:
 an exterior shell cover;   a gasket;   a mounting ring;   wherein said exterior shell cover has an outer-side and an under-side, and said gasket is a vented gasket or a non-vented gasket;   Wherein said gasket is mounted to said mounting ring, said mounting ring secured to said under-side of said exterior shell cover;   wherein said mounting ring is removable, said gasket is replaceable with a second gasket, said second gasket being vented or non-vented, and said mounting ring is reinstallable on said under-side of said exterior shell cover.   
     
     
         2 . The railway hatch cover of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting ring is circular, said mounting ring being smaller in diameter than said exterior shell cover, and slightly larger in diameter than a hatch opening on a railway car. 
     
     
         3 . The railway hatch cover of  claim 1 , wherein said gasket mounted on said mounting ring creates a seal between said gasket and a hatch ring opening on a railway car. 
     
     
         4 . The railway hatch cover of  claim 3 , wherein a self-adjusting foot latch attached to a connection point on said outer-side of said exterior shell cover to exert a compressive force on said gasket and said hatch opening, maintaining said seal between said gasket and said hatch opening. 
     
     
         5 . The railway czar hatch cover of  claim 1 , wherein said exterior shell cover contains at least one mounting pocket. 
     
     
         6 . The railway car hatch cover of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one mounting pocket contains a global positioning system (GPS) unit. 
     
     
         7 . The railway car hatch cover of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one mounting pocket contains at least one sensor. 
     
     
         8 . A railway car hatch cover comprising:
 an exterior shell cover having an outer-side and an under-side;   a gasket being vented or non-vented;   a mounting ring with said gasket mounted to said mounting ring;   wherein said mounting ring containing said gasket is secured to said under-side of said exterior shell cover;   wherein said mounting ring is removable, said gasket is replaceable with a new gasket, said new gasket being vented or non-vented, and said mounting ring containing said new gasket reinstallable to said under-side of said exterior shell cover.   
     
     
         9 . The railway hatch cover of  claim 8 , wherein said mounting ring is circular, said mounting ring being smaller in diameter than said exterior shell cover, and slightly larger in diameter than a hatch opening on a railway car. 
     
     
         10 . The railway hatch cover of  claim 8 , wherein said gasket mounted on said mounting ring creates a seal between said gasket and a hatch opening on a railway car. 
     
     
         11 . The railway hatch cover of  claim 10 , wherein a self-adjusting foot latch attached to a first connection point on said outer-side of said exterior shell cover to exert a compressive force on said gasket and said hatch opening, maintaining said seal between said gasket and said hatch opening. 
     
     
         12 . The railway car hatch cover of  claim 8 , wherein said exterior shell cover contains at least one mounting pocket. 
     
     
         13 . The railway car hatch cover of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one mounting pocket contains a global positioning system (GPS) unit. 
     
     
         14 . The railway car hatch cover of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one mounting pocket contains at least one sensor. 
     
     
         15 . A railway car hatch cover comprising:
 an exterior shell cover with an outer-side and an under-side;   a mounting ring removably attached to said under-side of said exterior shell cover, said mounting ring containing a replaceable gasket, said gasket being a vented gasket or a non-vented gasket;   wherein said mounting ring containing said gasket is secured to said under-side of said exterior shell cover;   wherein said mounting ring is removable, said gasket is replaceable with a new gasket, said new gasket being vented or non-vented, and said mounting ring containing said new gasket reinstallable to said under-side of said exterior shell cover.