The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 09, 1992
Filed:
Dec. 14, 1990
Edwin deS Snead, Georgetown, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
A hopper for a railroad car having a pair of side hopper walls, a pair of end hopper walls, a gate system positioned at a hopper discharge opening, and a crossmember affixed at one end to one of the side hopper walls and affixed at another end to another of the side hopper walls. This crossmember is positioned generally halfway between the end hopper walls. A first support bar is affixed to the side walls in an area between the crossmember and one of the end walls. A second support bar is affixed to the side walls in an area between the crossmember and the other of the end walls. The gate system is a pair of clamshell-type gates that are pivotable about axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hopper car. A strut is pivotally mounted to the crossmember and extends downwardly therefrom. This first strut is affixed at one end to one of the clamshell-type gates. A second strut is also pivotally mounted to the crossmember and extends downwardly so as to be affixed to the second clamshell-type gate. The first and second struts extend outwardly above the pivotal connection with the crossmember. The first and second struts define an acute angle therebetween. Another support bar is affixed to the hopper side walls directly beneath the crossmember and adjacent to the hopper discharge opening.