Sliding closure outlet frame assembly

Claim 1

A HOPPER DISCHARGE OPENING CLOSURE STRUCTURE FOR USE IN A RAILROAD CAR HAVING AN OPENING PROVIDING FOR THE DOWNWARD DISCHARGE OF LADING AND COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME HAVING SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS FORMING A DISCHARGE OPENING, A SUPPORT FLANGE PARALLEL TO AND SECURED TO EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS ADJACENT THE LOWER PORTIONS THEREOF AND EXTENDING TOWARD EACH OTHER ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OPENING, A GATE SLIDABLE ALONG THE UPPER SURFACES OF SAID SUPPORT FLANGES UNDERNEATH ONE OF SAID END WALLS AND IN CLOSED POSITION HAVING ONE END PROJECTING BEYOND SAID ONE END WALL, A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE UNDER SIDE OF SAID GATE AND PARALLEL TO THE PROJECTING END THEREOF AND EXTENDING BEYOND THE SIDES OF SAID GATE IN JUXTAPOSITION TO THE UNDER SIDES OF SAID SUPPORT FLANGES AND COOPERATING THEREWITH TO HOLD DOWN SAID GATE IN SLIDABLE POSITION ALONG SAID UPPER SURFACES OF SAID SUPPORT FLANGES AND MOVABLE WITH SAID GATE, A PINION NON-ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON EACH PROJECTING END OF SAID SHAFT, A RACK ENGAGING EACH PINION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EXTENT OF MOVEMENT OF SAID GATE, MEANS STATIONARILY MOUNTING EACH RACK WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME AS A LONGITUDINAL EXTENSION OF EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND LATERALLY OUTWARDLY OF AND PARALLEL TO EACH SIDE OF SAID GATE, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT TO MOVE SAID GATE BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPEN POSITIONS.