Gunderson, Inc.

Bradley J Thomas

Gregory J Saxton

Brian J Jurvakainen

An operating mechanism for a bottom valve for a cargo tank of a railroad tank car, in which a valve operating lever is normally disconnected from a valve operating shaft and a valve operating shaft assembly includes a weak-link connector to prevent inadvertent opening of the bottom valve in case of derailment of the tank car.

Operating mechanism for tank car bottom valve

A railway tank car including a protective structure for the top of its cargo tank and surrounding both a valve group mounting nozzle and a pressure-relief safety valve nozzle, to protect the associated valves against damage resulting from the car being overturned, particularly while the railcar is moving along a railway. The protective structure includes protective housings including upstanding walls of metal plate construction surrounding the nozzles yet not attached directly to the nozzles, so that the protective housings afford convenient access to the valves associated with the nozzles.

Protective structure for tank top fittings

A railway tank car including a protective structure for the top of its cargo tank and surrounding a valve group mounting nozzle and a pressure relief safety valve nozzle, to protect the associated valves against damage resulting from the car being overturned, particularly while the railcar is moving along a railway. The protective structure includes an upstanding wall of metal plate that surrounds and is located at a radial distance outwardly apart from the tank top valve group mounting nozzle. A reinforcing band is attached to an upper portion of the upstanding wall to enhance its strength. Also disclosed is a method of protecting fittings mounted on a nozzle on the tank top of a railway tank car by providing and mounting such a protective structure to surround the tank top nozzle and associated fittings.

A railway tank car including a protective structure for the top of the tank and surrounding a manway or valve mounting nozzle to protect it against damage resulting from the car being overturned even while moving longitudinally. The protective structure may include longitudinally extending generally parallel side plates and a skid structure including longitudinally extending sloping, end portions and providing access to a manway or valve mounting assembly on the top of a nozzle. Openings may be provided in a side wall of the protective structure to give access to valve operating mechanisms extending laterally from valves. A lid for an access opening to a set of valves may include an extension that prevents a valve handle from being moved to open the valve while the lid is closed.

Protective structure for top of tank car

A railway tank car including a protective structure for the top of its cargo tank and surrounding both a valve group mounting nozzle and a pressure relief safety valve nozzle, to protect the associated valves against damage resulting from the car being overturned, particularly while the railcar is moving along a railway. The protective structure includes protective housings including upstanding walls of metal plate construction surrounding the nozzles yet not attached directly to the nozzles, so that the protective housings afford convenient access to the valves associated with the nozzles.

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Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Bradley J Thomas