Bridge plate and latching arrangement therefor

Claim 1

A LATCHING ARRANGEMENT FOR A BRIDGE PLATE WHICH IS HINGEDLY ATTACHED ADJACENT THE END OF A RAILWAY CAR FOR TURNING MOVEMENT BETWEEN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL BRIDGING POSITON AND A GENERALLY UPSTANDING STORED POSITION, SAID LATCHING ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A TIE BAR HINGEDLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID BRIDGE PLATE INTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH THEREOF, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GUIDE MEANS FIXED ADJACENT THE SIDE OF SAID CAR, SLIDE BLOCK MEANS MOUNTED ON THE OTHER END OF SAID TIE BAR AND GUIDED FOR MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID GUIDE MEANS DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID BRIDGE PLATE BETWEEN SAID BRIDGING AND STORED POSITIONS, SAID SLIDE BLOCK MEANS BEING YIELDABLY MOVABLY LENGTHWISE OF SAID TIE ROD WHEN SAID BRIDGE PLATE IS IN SAID STORED POSITION AND ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION FORCES ARE APPLIED TO THE LATTER, AND MEANS LOCKINGLY ENGAGING SAID SLIDE BLOCK MEANS FOR RESTRAINING MOVEMENT IN SAID GUIDE MEANS AND THEREBY TO MAINTAIN SAID BRIDGE PLATE IN STORED POSITION.