Automatic discharge sliding door mechanism for railroad hopper cars

Abstract

Systems and methods for actuating automatic sliding doors on railroad hopper cars are disclosed. The system includes a cylinder having a first cap end mounted on a hopper car, and a second rod end having a clevis. The cylinder has a piston rod which extends, causing an actuating reinforcer coupled to the clevis to rotate around a coupled main shaft. The rotational motion of the actuating reinforcer causes an operating lever, also coupled to the main shaft, to rotate. A connecting link translates the rotational motion of the operating lever to a door pan fulcrum mounted to a sliding door, causing the door pan fulcrum to pull the sliding door open. The system also enables automatic locking in an analogous way, with the door pan fulcrum pushed to close the sliding door, when the cylinder piston rod returns to its original position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for a sliding door actuating mechanism on a hopper car, comprising:
 a cylinder, having a first cap end and a second rod end, wherein the first cap end of the cylinder is mounted on the hopper car;   an actuating reinforcer, wherein a first end of the actuating reinforcer is coupled to a clevis on the second rod end of the cylinder;   a transverse main shaft, coupled to a second end of the actuating reinforcer;   an operating lever, wherein a first end of the operating lever is coupled to the transverse main shaft;   a connecting link, wherein a first end of the connecting link is coupled to a second end of the operating lever; and   a door pan fulcrum, wherein a first end of the door pan fulcrum is coupled to a second end of the connecting link, and wherein a second end of the door pan fulcrum is secured to a bottom sliding door.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse main shaft is rotatably coupled to the second end of the actuating reinforcer. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the operating lever is rotatably coupled to the transverse main shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shaft reinforcer, coupled with an end of the transverse main shaft.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least two longitudinal mechanism support components,   wherein each longitudinal mechanism support component has two given ends,   wherein at least one of the two given ends is attached to a hopper wall of the hopper car, and   wherein the transverse main shaft is mounted onto the at least two longitudinal mechanism support components.   
     
     
         6 . A hopper car, comprising:
 a hopper car body comprising a hopper;   a cylinder, having a first cap end and a second rod end, wherein the first cap end of the cylinder is mounted on the hopper car;   an actuating reinforcer, wherein a first end of the actuating reinforcer is coupled to a clevis on the second rod end of the cylinder;   a transverse main shaft, coupled to a second end of the actuating reinforcer;   an operating lever, wherein a first end of the operating lever is coupled to the transverse main shaft;   a connecting link, wherein a first end of the connecting link is coupled to a second end of the operating lever; and   a door pan fulcrum, wherein a first end of the door pan fulcrum is coupled to a second end of the connecting link, and wherein a second end of the door pan fulcrum is secured to a bottom sliding door.   
     
     
         7 . The hopper car of  claim 6 , wherein the transverse main shaft is rotatably coupled to the actuating reinforcer. 
     
     
         8 . The hopper car of  claim 6 , wherein the first end of the operating lever is rotatably coupled to the transverse main shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The hopper car of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a shaft reinforcer, coupled with an end of the transverse main shaft.   
     
     
         10 . The hopper car of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 at least two longitudinal mechanism support components,   wherein each longitudinal mechanism support component has two given ends,   wherein at least one of the two given ends is attached to a hopper wall of the hopper car, and   wherein the transverse main shaft is mounted onto the at least two longitudinal mechanism support components.