Hopper car outlet gate mechanical flap to prevent pellet loss

Abstract

An outlet gate/gate assembly having a trough section having opposing slanted sheets, and an end sheet at ends thereof, the trough section defining a trough, and each end sheet providing a discharge opening fluidly connected with the trough; and an end tube/end adapter assembly fluidly connected with each end sheet, the end tube/end adapter assembly comprising an end adapter, an outlet cap, and an end tube seal/end adapter gasket, the end tube seal/end adapter gasket positioned between the end sheet and the end adapter or within the end adapter, wherein the end tube seal/end adapter gasket comprises a base plate and a primary/main flap, the base plate defining a discharge opening, and the primary/main flap biased to, when closed, completely cover the discharge opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An end tube/end adapter assembly comprising:
 an end adapter; and   an end tube seal/end adapter gasket configured to position between an end sheet of a trough section of a hopper car and the end adapter, wherein the end tube seal/end adapter gasket comprises:
 a base plate and a primary/main flap, wherein the base plate defines a gasket discharge opening, and wherein the primary/main flap is connected to the base plate and configured such that, in a normal closed position, the primary/main flap completely covers the gasket discharge opening. 
   
     
     
         2 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the primary/main flap comprises perforations or a mesh section within the primary/main flap. 
     
     
         3 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate and the primary/main flap are integrated. 
     
     
         4 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the primary/main flap is connected to the base plate by a material hinge. 
     
     
         5 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the gasket discharge opening is defined by a lower cutout and an upper cutout in the base plate and a plurality of material hinge sections along an upper portion of the primary/main flap. 
     
     
         6 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the end tube seal/end adapter gasket is stamped, cut, or otherwise formed from a gasket material. 
     
     
         7 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the gasket material is elastomeric. 
     
     
         8 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the gasket material is food grade or comprises a coating of a food grade material. 
     
     
         9 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the gasket material has a temperature rating in a range of from about −20° C. to 130° C. 
     
     
         10 . The end tube/end adapter assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an outlet cap, wherein the end adapter is positioned between the outlet cap and the end tube seal/end adapter gasket. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 transferring material from a trough section of a hopper car and through a first gasket discharge opening of a first end tube seal/end adapter gasket that is connected to the trough section, wherein the first end tube seal/end adapter gasket comprises:
 a first base plate and a first primary/main flap, wherein the first base plate defines the first gasket discharge opening, and wherein the first primary/main flap is connected to the first base plate and configured such that, during the transferring, the first primary/main flap is in an open position. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a second end tube seal/end adapter gasket is connected to the trough section, wherein the second end tube seal/end adapter gasket comprises:
 a second base plate and a second primary/main flap, wherein the second base plate defines a second gasket discharge opening, and wherein the second primary/main flap is connected to the second base plate and configured such that, during the transferring, the second primary/main flap is in a closed position.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a second end tube seal/end adapter gasket is connected to an end of the trough section that is opposite another end of the trough section to which the first end tube seal/end adapter gasket is connected. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first primary/main flap comprises perforations or a mesh section within the first primary/main flap. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first base plate and the first primary/main flap are integrated. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first primary/main flap is connected to the first base plate by a material hinge. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first gasket discharge opening is defined by a lower cutout and an upper cutout in the first base plate and a plurality of material hinge sections along an upper portion of the first primary/main flap. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first end tube seal/end adapter gasket is stamped, cut, or otherwise formed from a gasket material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the gasket material is elastomeric, is food grade, or comprises a coating of a food grade material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the gasket material has a temperature rating in a range of from about −20° C. to 130° C.