Hopper car and hopper unloading devices therefor

Claim 1

IN A HOPPER CAR HAVING A HOPPER FORMED WITH DOWNWARDLY CONVERGING WALL SECTIONS DEFINING A MATERIAL DISCHARGE PORTION, THE PROVISION OF PNEUMATIC MATERIAL DISCHARGE CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HOPPER DISCHARGE PORTION WITH AT LEAST A PART OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS BEING LOCATED WITHIN SAID HOPPER DISCHARGE PORTION FOR DIRECT CONTACT WITH MATERIAL THEREIN, SAID PART BEING OF ARCUATE CONFIGURATION TO EXTERNALLY BAFFLE THE DOWNWARDLY FLOW OF MATERIAL TRANSVERSELY THEREOF DURING DISCHARGE OF MATERIAL, SAID CONDUIT MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE SLOT-LIKE OPENING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOPPER TO RECEIVE MATERIAL FOR DISCHARGE FROM SAID HOPPER, SAID PART BEING ARRANGED TO DIRECT SAID MATERIAL TOWARD SAID OPENING, AND MECHANICALLY RECIPROCABLE VALVE MEANS IN SAID HOPPER, SAID VALVE MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE VALVE MEMBER MOVABLE THROUGH MATERIAL IN SAID HOPPER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO CLOSE OFF SAID OPENING TO LIMIT MATERIAL DISCHARGE THERETHROUGH INTO SAID CONDUIT MEANS INDEPENDENT OF THE PRESENCE OF MATERIAL IN SAID HOPPER, AND VALVE MEMBER OPERATING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HOPPER FOR ACCESS THERETO EXTERNALLY OF SAID HOPPER TO MOVE SAID VALVE MEMBER TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID CONDUIT MEANS FOR TOTAL UNIMPEDED USE OF SAID OPENING DURING DISCHARGE OF MATERIAL FROM SAID HOPPER, SAID OPERATING MEANS INCLUDING VALVE MEMBER SELECTIVE POSITIONING MEANS.