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:
May. 08, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 11, 1999
Christopher C. Gaydos, St. Charles, IL (US);
Adam A. Huppert, Montgomery, IL (US);
Jeffrey J. Carter, Oswego, IL (US);
Guadalupe L. Galvan, DeKalb, IL (US);
Miner Enterprises, Inc., Geneva, IL (US);
Abstract
A locking mechanism for releasably and positively locking a hinged door of a railroad hopper car in a releasably closed position or condition is disclosed. The locking mechanism for each hinged door on the hopper car includes a lock carried on the hopper car adjacent a discharge opening, a pivotal locking element carried by the discharge door and movable therewith into releasable but positive locking engagement with the lock when the door is swung into a closed position or condition, and a door release mechanism for controllably releasing the locking element from engagement with the lock thereby permitting the discharge door to swing to an open condition or position. When a series of doors are arranged in end-to end relation along a bottom of the car, the door release mechanisms for the discharge doors are operated substantially simultaneously thereby opening substantially an entire bottom of the hopper car. Furthermore disclosed is a discharge door design including top and bottom panels having a cavity therebetween extending across and along substantially the entire length of the discharge door.