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:
Mar. 13, 2018
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2017
Vertex Railcar Corporation, Wilmington, NC (US);
Fred Joseph Taylor, Independence, KY (US);
Vertex Railcar Corporation, Wilmington, NC (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for a railroad hopper car bottom discharge door having two door plates, where at least one is rotatable between open and closed positions for the bottom discharge door. A seal member is fixedly connected to a distal end of each door plate, respectively, and each seal member has a seal lip protruding from the corresponding door plate. One seal lip comprises a first obtuse angle on a lower surface of the seal lip, while the other seal lip comprises a second angle smaller than the first obtuse angle on an upper surface of the seal lip. When the bottom discharge door is closed, the two angles on the two seal lips interlock to form a seal. Methods and systems for a door-actuating assembly that utilizes a pick-up shoe and a rechargeable battery to minimize the occurrence of rail sparks inside dump sites are also provided.