Miner Enterprises, Inc.

Powerbrace Corporation

Miner Elastomer Products Corporation

White Welding and Mfg., Inc.

Robert S Toms, Jr

Brian A Senn

Jeremy J Dohr

Robert T Fischer

Ronald W Kerr

A hinge assembly for pivotally interconnecting a door to a trailer body is disclosed. The hinge assembly includes a hinge plate having a mounting portion and a hinge portion. The mounting portion of the hinge plate is configured to permit attachment to the door, while the hinge portion of the hinge plate defines an elongated closed passage opening at opposite ends thereof. Bearing structure is non-rotatably accommodated within the passage for forming a bearing connection between the hinge plate and a pivot member endwise extending through the hinge portion of the hinge plate. The bearing structure includes a cap formed integral therewith and extending from opposite ends of the passage.

Hinge assembly

A gate assembly for a hopper car having an enclosure for holding and transporting particulate matter and a plurality of openings along a bottom of the car through which particulate matter is discharged. The gate assembly is designed to allow for either pneumatic discharge of the particulate matter as a result of pressure differentials applied to the outlet on the hopper car or gravitational discharge of the particulate matter through a covered discharge plenum depending from a discharge opening defined by the frame of the gate assembly. The gate assembly further includes seal structure and a gate mounted on the frame for elevational movements between sealed and unsealed conditions and for sliding movements between open and closed positions. The gate assembly further includes a mechanism for arranging the frame, the gate and the seal structure in sealed relationship relative to each other such that a gage pressure of up to 15 psig. can be established in the enclosure of the car during unloading of the particulate matter. To reduce the effort required to condition the car for unloading and transport, the mechanism for sealing the gate relative to the frame of the gate assembly furthermore acts to arrange the cover used to seal the discharge opening in timed relationship with the sealing/unsealing of the gate assembly. The gate assembly further includes seal structure biased against an underside of the gate to seal closed the opening through which the gate horizontally reciprocates between the open and closed positions. Furthermore, edge seals are spring biased against opposed edges of the gate to enhance the sealing relationship of the gate to the frame of the gate assembly.

Gate assembly for a railroad hopper car

Rear impact guard

A discharge gate assembly for a railway hopper car that satisfies the new AAR requirements and specifications and includes a frame defining a generally rectangular discharge opening with a gate slidably mounted on the frame for endwise horizontal movement between opened and closed positions. An operating shaft assembly is supported on opposite frame extensions for rotational movement about a fixed axis. The operating shaft assembly is operably coupled to the gate. A lock assembly is operably coupled to the operating shaft assembly and includes a vertically displacable stop member mounted for vertical and rotational movement about a fixed axis extending above the path of movement of the gate and in fore-and-aft relationship relative to an edge of the gate. When the gate is in its closed position, the stop member extends downwardly and into engagement with the gate edge to positively prevent the gate from substantial movement toward an open position. A drive mechanism is disposed adjacent the frame extensions for positively displacing the stop member from the path of travel of the gate in timed relation relative to movement of the gate toward an open position.

Railway hopper car discharge gate assembly

An apparatus for controlling operation of a railcar discharge gate assembly including a frame defining a discharge opening with a gate slidably arranged on the frame for movement along a predetermined path of travel between open and closed positions. The apparatus of the present invention includes an operating shaft rotatably supported on the frame for selectively moving the gate between open and closed positions in response to rotation of the shaft. A lock assembly is carried on the frame and is operably coupled to the operating shaft. The lock assembly includes a displacable stop member which, when the gate is closed, extends into the path of travel of the gate to prevent movement of the gate relative to the frame, and which moves in timed relation relative to movement of the gate such that upon rotation of the operating shaft to move the gate to an open position the stop member is automatically removed from the path of travel of the gate prior to movement of the gate toward an open position.

Apparatus for controlling operation of a railcar discharge gate assembly

A shock absorber strut that includes inner and outer tubes which slide one over the other in a telescopic relationship. In the space confined between closed ends of the tubes, a stack arrangement of compressible elastomeric material pad assemblies is provided to function as shock absorber medium. Each assembly has a pad of compressible material having a central opening, a metal plate having a corresponding central opening and abutting one end of the pad, and a flanged bearing through said openings and abutting the plate to the pad. The pad has ends provided with a series of different sized bores cooperating to define flow spaces for compressed elastomer material to avoid contact with the guide rod. A guide rod extends substantially through the strut through the bearings. The entire arrangement of the bearing provides a glide path for the guide rod. Each plate has a plurality of holes, sub-peripherally located, the holes having torn and jagged protrusions engageable with the pad end.

Heavy off-road large vehicle suspension strut

A shock absorber strut that includes an inner and an outer tube which slide one over the other. The combination of a keeper ring and a series of key stops secures the tubes while allowing independent motion therebetween. An elastomeric material contained within the tubes functions as the shock absorber material and bearing surfaces allow for easy movement between the tubes. A method is also provided for replacement of one of the bearing surfaces without removal of the entire strut from the vehicle even though the elastomeric material is under preload.

A wheel assembly, and a method and apparatus for fabricating the same, are disclosed. The wheel assembly includes an annular bearing hub and an annular tread layer of thermoplastic elastomeric material, such as a copolyester polymer elastomer material, about the bearing hub. The tread layer has an initial free radial thickness. The material is such that upon being radially compressed at least thirty percent of its initial radial thickness the material will retain a substantial portion of the thickness reduction after being compressed. The method and apparatus include applying a radial force by means of a cone-shaped wedge member from within the tread layer while the outer periphery of the tread layer is radially contained, the radially applied force being sufficient to compress the tread layer at least thirty percent of its initial radial thickness. The bearing hub is moved axially into the compressed annular tread layer immediately behind the cone-shaped wedge member.

Growing community of inventors

Racine, WI, United States of America

Robert S Toms, Jr