Hatch Cover For A Covered Railroad Car Having Removable Closure and Screen Member

Abstract

A hatch cover for hopper compartment opening with a coaming surrounding the opening. The hatch cover includes a peripheral skirt with a portion of the skirt spaced outwardly of the coaming when the hatch cover is closed to allow air flow from the exterior of the hatch cover to the opening. A frame has a center portion and an annular gasket which seats on the coaming with the center portion over the opening. The center portion of the frame may be a screen or may be solid. An annular ring is attached to the underside of the hatch cover. A press fit attachment is provided between the frame and the annular to permit attachment and removal of the frame from the annular ring. A latch mechanism is provided for the hatch cover. A spring anchor pin is supported on coaming brackets and a latching pin is supported on the hatch cover. A latch mechanism includes a handle having a pair of uprights located at one end of the handle. An outwardly opening slot is formed in each upright with the slots aligned with each other to be removeably engagable and pivot on the hatch cover latching pin. The mechanism also includes a compressibly loaded helical spring connected between the latch handle and the coaming spring anchor.

1 . A hatch cover for a covered hopper compartment having an opening with a coaming surrounding said opening, said hatch cover comprising:
 a peripheral skirt depending from said underside of said hatch cover with at least a portion of said peripheral skirt being spaced outwardly of said coaming when said hatch cover is closed to allow air flow from the exterior of said hatch cover to said opening,   a frame having a center portion and an annular gasket which seats on said coaming with said center portion of said frame supported over said opening,   an annular ring attached to said underside of said hatch cover, and   annular sockets and annular ribs formed on said annular ring and said annular gasket of said frame for press fitted engagement to removably secure said frame to said annular ring.   
   
   
       2 . The hatch cover of  claim 1  in which said annular sockets are formed on said annular ring and said annular ribs are formed on said gasket of said frame. 
   
   
       3 . The hatch cover of  claim 1  in which said center portion of said frame is a screen. 
   
   
       4 . The hatch cover of  claim 1  in which said center portion of said frame is imperforate. 
   
   
       5 . The hatch cover of  claim 1  in which said annular gasket is a thermoplastic elastomer. 
   
   
       6 . The hatch cover of  claim 1  in which said annular ring includes upstanding posts extending from an upper surface of said annular ring and spaced apart around said annular ring and an annular groove formed on said underside of said hatch cover and formed and adapted to receive said upstanding posts to obstruct the movement of foreign objects in the air flow from reaching said opening around said coaming from the exterior of said hatch cover. 
   
   
       7 . A latch mechanism for a hatch cover of a covered hopper compartment having an opening with a coaming surrounding said opening, a spring anchor pin supported between spaced brackets extending from said coaming and a latching pin supported between spaced brackets extending from said hatch cover, said latch mechanism comprising:
 a latch handle having an elongated planar portion with a pair of uprights located at one end thereof, an outwardly opening slot formed in each upright with said slots aligned with each other to removably engage and pivot on said hatch cover latching pin, and   a flexible tensioning member connecting said latch handle and said coaming spring anchor pin.   
   
   
       8 . The latch mechanism of  claim 7  in which said flexible tensioning member is a compressibly loaded helical spring. 
   
   
       9 . The latch mechanism of  claim 8  in which another spring anchor pin is mounted on said latch mechanism and is located between said planar portion of said latch and said notches to receive an end of said compressively loaded helical spring and position said spring to provide an over center biasing force to close said planar portion of said latch against said hatch cover. 
   
   
       10 . The latch mechanism of  claim 9  in which said another spring anchor pin extends between said uprights of said latch mechanism. 
   
   
       11 . A latch mechanism for a cover of the type which is pivotally mounted on a base,
 said cover having a pair of latching pins on a portion thereof located opposite to said pivotal mounting,   said latch mechanism including a handle having a pair of tranversely spaced uprights, an outwardly opening slot formed in each upright with said slots aligned with each other to be removably engaged with and pivotable on said cover latching pins, and a resilient tensioning member connected between said latch handle and said base to permit said handle to be engaged with said latching pins and biased against said cover and to be removed from engagement with said latching pins while remaining connected to said base.