Dump car having arced top and side gates

Abstract

A dump car, comprising: a container mounted to or formed on a chassis, the container having a front wall proximate a front of the dump car and a rear wall proximate a rear of the dump car; a pair of longitudinal top gates mounted between the front and rear walls of the container and forming a roof of the container; a pair of longitudinal side gates mounted between the front and rear walls of the container and forming respective side walls of the container; and, a longitudinal two-sided chute mounted between the front and rear walls of the container and forming a floor of the container, the longitudinal two-sided chute being A-frame shaped having first and second panels sloped downwards toward respective sides of the dump car.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dump car, comprising:
 a container mounted to or formed on a chassis, the container having a front wall proximate a front of the dump car and a rear wall proximate a rear of the dump car;   a pair of longitudinal top gates mounted between the front and rear walls of the container and forming a roof of the container;   a pair of longitudinal side gates mounted between the front and rear walls of the container and forming respective side walls of the container; and,   a longitudinal two-sided chute mounted between the front and rear walls of the container and forming a floor of the container, the longitudinal two-sided chute being A-frame shaped having first and second panels sloped downwards toward respective sides of the dump car;   wherein the pair of longitudinal top gates are moveable between a closed position in which a top opening into the container is closed to an opened position in which the top opening into the container is opened to thereby load material through the top opening into the container; and,   wherein the pair of longitudinal side gates are moveable between a closed position in which respective side openings into the container are closed to an opened position in which the respective side openings into the container are opened to thereby unload the material through the respective side openings from the container.   
     
     
         2 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein the top gates and the side gates are arced or curved. 
     
     
         3 . The dump car of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of front wheels mounted proximate to a front end of the chassis and a pair of rear wheels mounted proximate to a rear end of the chassis. 
     
     
         4 . The dump car of  claim 1 , further comprising a first pair of actuators coupled between the pair of top gates and operable to move the pair of top gates between the closed position and the opened position. 
     
     
         5 . The dump car of  claim 1 , further comprising a second pair of actuators coupled between the pair of side gates and operable to move the pair of side gates between the closed position and the opened position. 
     
     
         6 . The dump car of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first pair of actuators is operable independently to move one of the pair of top gates between the closed position and the opened position. 
     
     
         7 . The dump car of  claim 5 , wherein each of the second pair of actuators is operable independently to move one of the pair of side gates between the closed position and the opened position. 
     
     
         8 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein respective bottom edges of the pair of top gates overlap respective top edges of the pair of side gates when the pair of top gates and the pair of side gates are in respective closed positions. 
     
     
         9 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of top gates are operable to move between the closed position and the opened position using or assisted by gravity. 
     
     
         10 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of side gates are operable to move between the opened position and the closed position using or assisted by gravity. 
     
     
         11 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of top gates are configured to travel above respective outer surfaces of the pair of side gates when moving between the closed position and the opened position. 
     
     
         12 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of side gates are configured to travel below respective inner surfaces of the pair of top gates when moving between the closed position and the opened position. 
     
     
         13 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein each of the pair to top gates and each of the pair of side gates may be operated simultaneously or individually. 
     
     
         14 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second panels of the two-sided chute slope downwards toward respective sides of the container at respective angles of 40 degrees (or approximately 40 degrees). 
     
     
         15 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein respective outer ends of the first and second panels of the two-sided chute extend beyond respective side walls of the chassis. 
     
     
         16 . The dump car of  claim 2 , wherein respective side edges of the front and rear walls of the container are arced or curved to align with the top gates and the side gates. 
     
     
         17 . The dump car of  claim 16 , wherein the top gates and the side gates extend over the front and rear walls of the container. 
     
     
         18 . The dump car of  claim 17 , wherein the top gates and the side gates are pin or pivot mounted to the front are rear walls of the container. 
     
     
         19 . The dump car of  claim 18 , wherein respective top edges of the front and rear walls of the container are arced or curved less than the respective side edges of the front and rear walls. 
     
     
         20 . The dump car of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis and the container are formed as one body.