Trinity Rail Group, LLC

Trinity North American Freight Car, Inc.

Lee A Reitz

Kenneth W Huck

Christopher C Harkey

Daniel G Cortez

Jerry W Vande Sande

Kyle R Coston

Andrew Brown

Carter Ray Andrews

Anthony R Hiatt

Amy D Brown

William F Deakyne

Craig J Stevens

George S Creighton

Aubra D McKisic

Caglar Ozerdim

According to some embodiments, a longitudinal door system comprising one or more longitudinal doors for a railcar and a longitudinal operating beam coupled to the one or more longitudinal doors via one or more struts. A translation of the longitudinal operating beam is coupled to an opening and closing of the one or more longitudinal doors. The door system further comprising a gearbox coupled to the longitudinal operating beam and a first capstan receptacle. The gearbox is operable to translate a rotational movement of the first capstan receptacle to a linear movement of the longitudinal operating beam.

Railcar door operating systems and methods with capstan drives

A railway car is disclosed. The railway car comprises an underframe and at least one compartment for transporting lading. The railway car comprises at least one discharge opening and a door assembly adjacent to the at least one discharge opening. The railway car comprises a discharge control system comprising at least a common linkage mounted away from a longitudinal centerline of the railway car and a secondary linkage, wherein the discharge control system is operable to move the door assembly between a first position and a second position. The railway car comprises an actuator operable to drive movement of the common linkage in connection with movement of the door assembly between the first position and the second position.

Mechanism for longitudinal door systems

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises a center sill extending along a longitudinal centerline of the railcar, and two side sills. The two side sills are on opposite sides of, and extend parallel with, the center sill. The railcar further comprises a first inner discharge door coupled to the railcar proximate the center sill on a first side of a longitudinal centerline of the railcar (first side); a second inner discharge door coupled to the railcar proximate the center sill on a second side of the longitudinal centerline (second side); a first outer discharge door coupled proximate the side sill on the first side; a second outer discharge door coupled proximate the side sill on the second side; a first linkage coupling the first inner discharge door to the second outer discharge door; and a second linkage coupling the second inner discharge door to the first outer discharge door.

Hopper car double doors

An apparatus includes a latch and a travelling nut. The latch couples to a deck of an auto rack car. The latch includes a body coupled to a hinge such that the body may rotate about the hinge from a first position to a second position. The body includes a key. The travelling nut engages a ball screw. The travelling nut includes a slot. The travelling nut rotates with the ball screw when the body is in the first position. The key engages the slot when the body is in the second position. The travelling nut and the latch adjust a height of the deck in the auto rack car when the body is in the second position and when the ball screw is turned.

Autorack deck adjustments

A railcar system that includes a railcar with a discharge opening and a longitudinal gate positioned adjacent to the discharge opening. The system further includes a driving system connected to the longitudinal gate that is configured to move the longitudinal gate between a closed position and an open position. The system further includes a controller connected to the driving system that causes the driving system to position the longitudinal gate in the closed position, position the longitudinal gate in the open position, and position the longitudinal gate to remain an at least partially open position. The longitudinal gate is less than fully open when the longitudinal gate is in the at least partially open position.

Railcar with adjustable opening longitudinal gates

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises: an underframe comprising a center sill extending longitudinally along a centerline of the railcar; a hopper coupled to the underframe and comprising a discharge opening; and a discharge assembly coupled to the hopper. The discharge assembly comprises: a sloped side sheet, and a discharge gate frame in a plane offset from horizontal and extending from a bottom of the sloped side sheet to proximate the center sill. The discharge gate frame at least partially surrounds the discharge opening. The discharge assembly further comprises a discharge gate coupled to the discharge gate frame. The discharge gate is operable to move from a closed position that restricts a lading from discharging to an open position that permits the lading to discharge. Moving from the closed position to the open position comprises moving at an angle upward and transverse to the railcar.

Hopper car discharge gates

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises a center sill extending along a longitudinal centerline of the railcar, and two side sills. The two side sills are on opposite sides of, and extend parallel with, the center sill. The railcar further comprises a first inner discharge door coupled to the railcar proximate the center sill on a first sick of a longitudinal centerline of the railcar (first side); a second inner discharge door coupled to the railcar proximate the center sill on a second side of the longitudinal centerline (second side); a first outer discharge door coupled proximate the side sill on the first side; a second outer discharge door coupled proximate the side sill on the second side; a first linkage coupling the first inner discharge door to the second outer discharge door; and a second linkage coupling the second inner discharge door to the first outer discharge door.

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises a hopper with a sloped sheet and a discharge door. A first end of the discharge door is coupled to the railcar and pivots the discharge door between closed and open positions. The sloped sheet comprises a discharge end that is in contact with the discharge door when in the closed position. A second end of the discharge door extends beyond the discharge end of the sloped sheet when in the closed position. The discharge door comprises a lip disposed at its second end that extends generally perpendicular to the discharge door and parallel to the sloped sheet when the discharge door is in the closed position. The sloped sheet comprises a gasket coupled to its exterior portion. The lip of the discharge door contacts the gasket when in the closed position.

Growing community of inventors

Euless, TX, United States of America

Lee A Reitz