Hopper Car Discharge Gate Seal Assembly

Abstract

A railcar comprises a hopper coupled to a discharge assembly. The discharge assembly comprises a discharge gate, a sloped side sheet, a gasket bracket, and a seal gasket. The sloped side sheet longitudinally extends above the discharge gate when the discharge gate is closed. The gasket bracket coupled to the sloped side sheet. The gasket bracket extends longitudinally along a bottom end of the sloped side sheet. The seal gasket is positioned between the sloped side sheet and the gasket bracket. The seal gasket has a straight section and a rounded section, such that a portion of the round section of the seal gasket is left beyond the bottom end of the sloped side sheet. The seal gasket creates a seal between the sloped side sheet and the discharge gate such that the weight of a lading increases the seal.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A railcar comprising:
 a hopper;   a discharge assembly coupled to the hopper, the discharge assembly comprising:
 a discharge gate operable to move from a closed position that restricts a lading from discharging through the discharge gate to an open position that permits the lading to discharge through the discharge gate; 
 a first sloped side sheet longitudinally extending above the discharge gate when the discharge gate is closed; 
 a first gasket bracket coupled to the first sloped side sheet, wherein the first gasket bracket extends longitudinally along a bottom end of the first sloped side sheet; and 
 a first seal gasket deposited between the first sloped side sheet and the first gasket bracket, the first seal gasket having a first section and a second section, wherein:
 the first gasket bracket is coupled to the first sloped side sheet; 
 a portion of the second section of the first seal gasket is left beyond the bottom end of the first sloped side sheet, and 
 the first seal gasket creates a seal between the first sloped side sheet and the discharge gate such that a weight of the lading increases the seal. 
 
   
     
     
         22 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein the first seal gasket has a p-shaped cross section, a T-shaped cross-section, an L-shaped cross-section, or an h-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         23 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein the discharge assembly further comprises:
 a second gasket bracket coupled to the first sloped side sheet, wherein the second gasket bracket extends longitudinally along a bottom end of the first sloped side sheet;   a second seal gasket deposited between the first sloped side sheet and the second gasket bracket, the second seal gasket having a third section and a fourth section, wherein:
 the second gasket bracket is coupled to a surface of the first sloped side sheet opposite from a surface to which the first gasket bracket is coupled; 
 a portion of the fourth section of the second seal gasket is left beyond the bottom end of the first sloped side sheet, and 
 the second seal gasket creates a second seal between the first sloped side sheet and the discharge gate. 
   
     
     
         24 . The railcar of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the second section of the first seal gasket is facing away from the hopper; and   the fourth section of the second seal gasket is facing toward the hopper.   
     
     
         25 . The railcar of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the second section of the first seal gasket is facing toward the hopper; and   the fourth section of the second seal gasket is facing away from the hopper.   
     
     
         26 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the first gasket bracket is mounted on a top surface of the first sloped side sheet; and   the first seal gasket is positioned above the first sloped side sheet.   
     
     
         27 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the first gasket bracket is mounted on a bottom surface of the first sloped side sheet; and   the first seal gasket is positioned below the first sloped side sheet.   
     
     
         28 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein the second section of the first gasket bracket has a first width, and the second section of the first gasket bracket has a second width, the first width is larger than the second width. 
     
     
         29 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein the second section of the first seal gasket defines a hollow interior that is filled with a mesh of steel-based material. 
     
     
         30 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein the second section of the first seal gasket is semi-enclosed. 
     
     
         31 . A discharge assembly for a railcar, comprising:
 a discharge gate operable to move from a closed position that restricts a lading from discharging through the discharge gate to an open position that permits the lading to discharge through the discharge gate;   a first sloped side sheet longitudinally extending above the discharge gate when the discharge gate is closed;   a first gasket bracket coupled to the first sloped side sheet, wherein the first gasket bracket extends longitudinally along a bottom end of the first sloped side sheet; and   a first seal gasket deposited between the first sloped side sheet and the first gasket bracket, the first seal gasket having a first section and a second section, wherein:
 the first gasket bracket is coupled to the first sloped side sheet; 
 a portion of the second section of the first seal gasket is left beyond the bottom end of the first sloped side sheet, and 
 the first seal gasket creates a seal between the first sloped side sheet and the discharge gate such that a weight of the lading increases the seal. 
   
     
     
         32 . The discharge assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the first seal gasket has a p-shaped cross section, a T-shaped cross-section, an L-shaped cross-section, or an h-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         33 . The discharge assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the discharge assembly further comprises:
 a second gasket bracket coupled to the first sloped side sheet, wherein the second gasket bracket extends longitudinally along a bottom end of the first sloped side sheet;   a second seal gasket deposited between the first sloped side sheet and the second gasket bracket, the second seal gasket having a third section and a fourth section, wherein:
 the second gasket bracket is coupled to a surface of the first sloped side sheet opposite from a surface to which the first gasket bracket is coupled; 
 a portion of the fourth section of the second seal gasket is left beyond the bottom end of the first sloped side sheet, and 
 the second seal gasket creates a second seal between the first sloped side sheet and the discharge gate. 
   
     
     
         34 . The discharge assembly of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the second section of the first seal gasket is facing away from a hopper; and   the fourth section of the second seal gasket is facing toward the hopper.   
     
     
         35 . The discharge assembly of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the second section of the first seal gasket is facing toward a hopper; and   the fourth section of the second seal gasket is facing away from the hopper.   
     
     
         36 . The discharge assembly of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the first gasket bracket is mounted on a top surface of the first sloped side sheet; and   the first seal gasket is positioned above the first sloped side sheet.   
     
     
         37 . The discharge assembly of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the first gasket bracket is mounted on a bottom surface of the first sloped side sheet; and   the first seal gasket is positioned below the first sloped side sheet.   
     
     
         38 . The discharge assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the second section of the first gasket bracket has a first width, and the second section of the first gasket bracket has a second width, the first width is larger than the second width. 
     
     
         39 . The discharge assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the second section of the first seal gasket defines a hollow interior that is filled with a mesh of steel-based material. 
     
     
         40 . The discharge assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the second section of the first seal gasket is semi-enclosed.