US2021046955A1PendingUtilityA1

Hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly

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Assignee: THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES INCPriority: Aug 14, 2019Filed: Aug 14, 2019Published: Feb 18, 2021
Est. expiryAug 14, 2039(~13.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Peter L. JonesBrandon HartMatthew MatsenVictor M. Mankarious
B61D 7/20B61D 7/28B61D 7/22B61D 7/00B61D 39/008B61D 5/08B61D 17/16B61D 39/002B61D 39/006
45
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Claims

Abstract

A hatch cover assembly for a hopper railroad car includes a door configured to move from an open position to a closed position, a running track configured to support the door in the open position, a roller assembly attached to the door and configured to move along the running track, a locking clip configured to engage a leading edge of the door, and an actuator configured to move the door between the open position and the closed position.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly comprising:
 a running track connectable to a roof of a hopper railroad car   a door movable from an open position to a closed position relative to a coaming of the hopper railroad car, the door supportable by the running track when in the open position;   a roller assembly attached to the door and movable along the running track;   a locking clip engageable with a leading edge of the door; and   an actuator configured to move the door between the open position and the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the door includes a leading edge gasket and a trailing edge gasket each engageable with the coaming of the hopper car. 
     
     
         3 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the leading edge gasket is engageable with an inner surface of the coaming, and wherein the trailing edge gasket is engageable with an outer surface of the coaming. 
     
     
         4 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the leading edge gasket and the trailing edge gasket are engageable with coaming at approximately a same angle. 
     
     
         5 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the leading edge gasket and the trailing edge gasket are engageable with the coaming at respective angles of between 30 and 60 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the roller assembly includes a top roller movable along a top surface of the running track when in the open position and during movement of the door between the open position and closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the top roller is disengaged from the running track when the door is in the closed position and in the open position. 
     
     
         8 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the roller assembly includes a bottom roller moveable along a bottom surface of the running track. 
     
     
         9 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 8 , wherein bottom roller is configured to provide a downward sealing force to a trailing edge of the door. 
     
     
         10 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the door includes a downwardly extending center portion slideable along the coaming of the hopper car when the door moves between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the locking clip includes an upright portion and an inwardly curved portion, and wherein the inwardly curved portion is engageable with the leading edge of the door. 
     
     
         12 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the locking clip is configured to provide a downward sealing force to the leading edge of the door. 
     
     
         13 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , which includes an end gasket assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the end gasket assembly includes a first portion engageable with an inner surface of the coaming of the hopper car, and a second portion engageable with an outer surface of the coaming of the hopper car. 
     
     
         15 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a shape of the end gasket assembly is a semicircular arc, and wherein the first portion includes a first half of the semicircular arc, and the second portion includes a second half of the semicircular arc. 
     
     
         16 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , which includes a wire bridge rotatably attached to the door, the wire bridge movable between a first position when the door is in the open position, and a second position when the door is in the closed position, wherein in the first position the wire bridge extends between the door and the coaming, and in the second position the wire bridge hangs downwardly from the door. 
     
     
         17 . The hopper railroad car hatch cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to move the door in a substantially horizontal direction between the open position and the closed position 
     
     
         18 . A hopper car comprising:
 a frame;   spaced apart side walls;   a roof connected to the side walls and including a coaming defining an opening in the roof; and   a hatch cover assembly including:
 a running track connectable to the roof; 
 a door moveable from an open position to a closed position relative to the coaming; 
 a roller assembly attached to the door and moveable along the running track; 
 a locking clip engageable with a leading edge of the door; and 
 an actuator configured to move the door between the open position and the closed position. 
   
     
     
         19 . The hopper car of  claim 18 , wherein the door includes a leading edge gasket engageable with an inner surface of the coaming, and a trailing edge gasket engageable with an outer surface of the coaming. 
     
     
         20 . The hopper car of  claim 18 , wherein the roller assembly includes a bottom roller engageable with a bottom surface of the running track and configured to provide a downward sealing force to a trailing edge of the door. 
     
     
         21 . The hopper car of  claim 18 , wherein the locking clip includes an upright portion and an inwardly curved portion, and wherein the inwardly curved portion is engageable with the leading edge of the door and configured to provide a downward sealing force to the leading edge of the door. 
     
     
         22 . The hopper car of  claim 18 , which includes an end gasket assembly having a first portion engageable with an inner surface of the coaming, and a second portion engageable with an outer surface of the coaming. 
     
     
         23 . The hopper car of  claim 18 , wherein the hatch cover assembly includes a wire bridge rotatably attached to the door, the wire bridge movable between a first position when the door is in the open position, and a second position when the door is in the closed position, wherein in the first position the wire bridge extends between the door and the coaming, and in the second position the wire bridge hangs downwardly from the door. 
     
     
         24 . The hopper car of  claim 18 , wherein the an actuator is configured to move the door in a substantially horizontal direction between the open position and the closed position

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