Railroad car and door mechanism therefor

Abstract

A hopper car discharge outflow is controlled by closure members, at least one of which is movable. The doors are hingeless, being mounted on four bar linkages, such that the distal edge of the doors sweeps predominantly horizontally while the proximal edge of the door moves predominantly upwardly. The doors move through noncircular arcs, such that the size of the vertically projected door opening is abnormally large compared to the clearance heights of the door. The doors are driven by a longitudinal shaft that is mounted within the center sill. It drives a set of single input, double output bell cranks that drive adjacent pairs of doors, and that employs an over-center toggle to hold the doors in the closed position when the car is laded. The actuators may be mounted in shelters midway along the car, and may be offset from the centersill. The actuators may be mounted predominantly vertically such that gravity may obviate the need for a secondary lock. The doors of a transverse car need not all be of the same size. The over center may include a manual release having a fulcrum with a progressive decrease in mechanical advantage.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A railroad hopper car having:
 at least a first hopper, said first hopper having a door mounted to control egress of lading therefrom;   an automated actuator mounted to drive said door;   said door being movable between a first position, a second position and a third position;   said first position being a closed position, said second position being a partially open position, and said third position being a more fully open position;   an adjustable door opening governor selectable between said partially open position and said more fully open position.   
     
     
         19 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 18  wherein said door is movable to a fourth position, said fourth position being more fully open than said third position, and said adjustable door opening governor has alternately selectable settings corresponding to said second, third, and fourth positions of said door. 
     
     
         20 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 18  wherein:
 said first door is swingingly mounted to said railroad car by linkages, said linkages including at least a first linkage; 
 said first linkage has a first engagement member; and 
 said adjustable door opening governor includes at least a first alternately selectable second engagement member corresponding to said partially open position; and 
 said first and second engagement members operate in mutual opposition to each other. 
 
     
     
         21 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 20  wherein said first engagement member and each said second engagement member define mutually engageable stops. 
     
     
         22 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 20  wherein:
 said hopper car has an automated actuator operable to drive said first door, and a mechanical transmission linking said actuator to said first door; 
 said mechanical transmission includes a releasable lock; and 
 when said releasable lock is tripped, and said door opening governor is set to said first alternately selectable second engagement member, said door moves from said closed position to said partially open position and is obstructed from opening beyond said partially open position by said adjustable door opening governor. 
 
     
     
         23 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 22  wherein said lock is an over-center linkage. 
     
     
         24 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 18  wherein said railroad car has a center sill, and said adjustable door opening governor is mounted to said center sill. 
     
     
         25 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 18  wherein said door is mounted to swing longitudinally and said door opening governor limits arcuate range of motion of said door. 
     
     
         26 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 18  wherein:
 said hopper car has a center sill; 
 said hopper car door is a double door having a first portion located to one side of said center sill and a second portion located to an opposite side of said center sill; 
 said first and second portions of said double door are yoked together; 
 said double door swings through a longitudinal arc, and said door opening governor limits range of motion of said double door through said longitudinal arc. 
 
     
     
         27 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 26  wherein said hopper car has a door open indicator. 
     
     
         28 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 18  wherein said door is movable between an open condition and a closed condition, said hopper car has a door position indicator, and said door position indicator includes a member mounted to show that said doors are closed and locked. 
     
     
         29 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 28  wherein said railroad hopper car has a mechanical transmission connected to drive said door, and a mechanical motion amplifier connected between said mechanical transmission and said member mounted to show that said doors are closed and locked. 
     
     
         30 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 29  wherein said mechanical transmission is movable to an over-center condition, and said mechanical motion amplifier is connected to activate said member mounted to show that said doors are closed and locked when said mechanical transmission is in said over-center condition. 
     
     
         31 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 28  wherein:
 said railroad hopper car has a mechanical transmission connected to drive said door; 
 a mechanical motion amplifier is connected to said mechanical transmission; 
 said mechanical motion amplifier receives a mechanical input from the mechanical transmission and sends an amplified mechanical output to the door position indicator, said door position indicator member being driven accordingly. 
 
     
     
         32 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 28  wherein said indicator has an annunciator alternately movable to show a closed condition display and an open position display. 
     
     
         33 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 18  having:
 at least a first hopper, said first hopper having said door mounted thereto to control egress of lading therefrom; 
 said car having a first door operating fitting, said first door operating fitting including an automated actuator mounted to drive said door; and 
 said car also having a second door operating fitting, said second door operating fitting being a manually operated door over-ride. 
 
     
     
         34 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 33  wherein said door operating fitting is a manual over-ride operable to close said door. 
     
     
         35 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 33  wherein said door operating fitting is a manual over-ride operable to open said door. 
     
     
         36 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 33  wherein said hopper car has both a first manual over-ride fitting operable manually to close said door; and a second manual over-ride fitting operable manually to open said door. 
     
     
         37 . The railroad hopper car of  claim 18  wherein:
 a mechanical transmission connects said first actuator to said door; 
 said mechanical transmission includes a lock, said lock being set when said first door is in a closed position relative to said first hopper; 
 there is also a manually operated door over-ride fitting operable to open said door; and 
 said manually operated door over-ride is operable to trip said lock, thereby releasing said door; 
 said lock includes an over-center linkage; 
 said manually operated door over-ride includes a fulcrum proximate to said over-center linkage; and 
 said fulcrum provides a rocking point for a lever having a short arm extending to said over-center linkage and a longer arm extending away from said fulcrum for manual operation distant from said fulcrum by an operator at trackside.