Railway car

Claim 2

A closure construction comprising a first closure member, a second closure member, said second closure member being relatively long and flexible, means contiguous to each end of said second closure member supporting said second closure member for movement relative to said first closure member between an opened and a closed position, an edge of said second closure member being juxtaposed to a respective edge of said first closure member when said second closure member is in its closed position with respect to said first closure member, a plurality of spaced locking means on said closure members contiguous to said edges, the locking means on at least one of said closure members being movable relative to the locking means on the other of said closure members between an engaged position wherein said second closure member is retained in its closed position relative to said first closure member and a released position wherein said second closure member may be moved between its opened and closed positions, an operating mechanism for said locking means juxtaposed to one end of said one closure member, and means connecting said operating mechanism to each of said locking means carried by said one closure member for operating said locking means simultaneously upon the operation of said operating mechanism.

Claim 3

A closure construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the locking means on the other closure member comprise a plurality of spaced locking pins, the locking means on the one closure member comprising a plurality of spaced locking pins fixed to said one closure member and aligned with the locking pins on said other closure member when said second closure member is in its closed position, to define respective pairs of said locking pins said locking means on said one closure member further including a plurality of longitudinally spaced locking yokes, there being one such locking yoke for each of said respective pairs of locking pins, the means for connecting the operating mechanism to the locking means comprising an operating rod to which each of said locking yokes is affixed, the respective pairs of said locking pins being received between respective of said locking yokes when said locking means is in its engaged position.

Claim 4

A closure construction as set forth in claim 2 further including actuating means disposed adjacent one end of its second closure member for moving said second closure member between its opened and its closed position, the locking yoke adjacent said one end being longer than the remaining locking yokes and the remaining locking yokes being progressively shorter than each other from said one end to the other end for sequential engagement of said locking yokes with the respective pairs of locking pins upon operation of said operating mechanism.

Claim 5

A closure construction as set forth in claim 3 in combination with a railway coil car including underframe means defining a bed adapted to receive coiled sheet steel or the like, the first and second closure members comprising respective first and second cover half assemblies, each of said cover half assemblies being supported upon said underframe structure for pivotal movement between the opened and closed positions.

Claim 6

A closure construction as set forth in claim 1 further including actuating means disposed adjacent one end of the second closure member for moving said second closure member between its opened and closed positions, the locking means disposed adjacent said one end being operative to move from its released position to its engaged position prior to the remaining of said locking means, the remaining of said locking means being progressively movable from their released position to their engaged position from said one end to the other end of said second closure member for sequentially effecting engagement of said locking means.

Claim 7

A closure construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein the actuating means is disposed relative to the closure members and the locking means so that the locking means is visible by a person operating said actuating means and further including indicator means juxtaposed to the one end of the second closure member and means operatively connecting said locking means with said indicator means for moving said indicator means to a position for indicating that said locking means is in its engaged position.

Claim 8

A closure construction as set forth in claim 5 in combination with a railway coil car having an underframe structure defining a bed adapted to carry coiled sheet steel or the like, the second closure member comprising a cover assembly supported for movement upon said underframe structure from its opened position wherein said bed is at least partially uncovered to its closed position wherein said bed is partially covered.

Claim 9

A railway coil car as set forth in claim 7 wherein the actuating means is disposed relative to the closure members and the locking means so that the locking means is visible by a person operating said actuating means and further including indicator means juxtaposed to the one end of the second closure member and means operatively connecting said locking means with said indicator means for moving said indicator means to a position for indicating that said locking means is in its engaged position.

Claim 10

A closure construction comprising a first closure member, a second closure member, said second closure member being relatively long and flexible, means contiguous to each end of said second closure member supporting said second closure member for pivotal movement relative to said first closure member between an opened position and a closed position, first counterbalance spring means operatively connected to said second closure member contiguous to one end thereof, second counterbalance spring means operatively connected to said second closure member contiguous to the other end thereof, each counterbalance spring means being adapted to be resiliently deformed upon at least a portion of the movement of said second closure member between one of its positions and the other of its positions for assisting in return movement of said second closure member through said portion of said movement, and means for independently adjustinG the preload upon each of said counterbalance spring means.

Claim 11

A closure construction comprising a first closure member, a second closure member, said second closure member being relatively long and flexible, means contiguous to each end of said second closure member supporting said second closure member for pivotal movement relative to said first closure member between an opened position and a closed position, first counterbalance spring means operatively connected to said second closure member contiguous to one end thereof, second counterbalance spring means operatively connected to said second closure member contiguous to the other end thereof, each counterbalance spring means being adapted to be resiliently deformed upon at least a portion of the movement of said second closure member between one of its positions and the other of its positions for assisting in return movement of said second closure member through said portion of said movement, and means for independently adjustinG the preload upon each of said counterbalance spring means.

Claim 12

A closure construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first and second counterbalance spring means comprise first and second torsion bars, the means for deforming said torsion bars comprising linkage means operatively connecting one end of each of said torsion bars to the respective end of said closure member, the means for independently adjusting the preload upon each of said torsion bars comprising means providing an adjustable anchor for the other end of each of said torsion bars.

Claim 13

A closure construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein the means for supporting the second closure member for pivotal movement comprises a stub shaft at each end of said second closure member, the linkage means for each of the torsion bars being operatively connected to the respective of said stub shafts.

Claim 14

A closure construction as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of the linkage means comprises a crank arm affixed to the respective stub shaft, a lever affixed to the one end of the respective of the torsion bars, and a link pivotally connected to said crank arm and to said lever.

Claim 15

A closure construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein the means for independently adjusting the preload upon each of the torsion bars comprises lever means affixed to the other end of each of said torsion bars and means for affixing one end of each of said torsion bars and means for affixing one end of each of said lever means at a desired angular position for prestressing each of said torsion bars.

Claim 16

A closure construction as set forth in claim 13 wherein the means for affixing the lever means in the desired angular position comprises a pair of spaced apertures in the outer end of each of said lever means, said apertures being offset radially and circumferentially with respect to each other, a fixed member having pairs of spaced apertures, the apertures of one of said pairs in said fixed member being radially aligned with one of the apertures in said lever means, the apertures of the other pair in said fixed member being radially aligned with the other aperture in said lever means, and fastening means adapted to extend through selected ones of the apertures in said lever means and said fixed member for securing said lever means relative to said fixed member.

Claim 17

A closure construction as defined in claim 9 in combination with a railway coil car or the like having an underframe structure defining a bed adapted to receive coiled sheet steel or the like, said second closure member being pivotally supported upon said underframe structure for movement from its closed position wherein at least a portion of said bed is covered to an opened position wherein said portion of said bed is uncovered, said first closure member being supported upon said underframe structure for movement between a closed position wherein another portion of said bed is covered and an opened position wherein the other portion of said bed is uncovered, there being third and fourth counterbalance spring means operatively connected to opposite ends of said first closure member for resilient deformation upon at least a portion of the movement of said first closure member between one of its positions and the other of its positions for assisting in return movement of said first closure member, and means for independently adjusting the preload upon each of said third and said fourth counterbalance spring means.

Claim 18

A closure construction comprising a fixed member, a closure member, said closure member being relatively long and flexible, spaced bearing means supporting said closure member upon said fixed member for pivotal movement between an opened and a closed position, said bearing means being located contiguous to the ends of said closure member, a track structure fixed relative to said fixed member and positioned between the ends of said closure member and between said bearing means, and a follower structure carried by said closure member and Coacting with said track structure for supporting said closure member upon said fixed member between said bearing means.

Claim 19

A closure construction comprising a fixed member, a closure member, said closure member being relatively long and flexible, spaced bearing means supporting said closure member upon said fixed member for pivotal movement between an opened and a closed position, said bearing means being located contiguous to the ends of said closure member, a track structure fixed relative to said fixed member and positioned between the ends of said closure member and between said bearing means, and a follower structure carried by said closure member and Coacting with said track structure for supporting said closure member upon said fixed member between said bearing means.

Claim 20

A closure construction as set forth in claim 16 wherein the follower structure and the track structure have cooperating abutting surfaces for resisting movement of said closure member relative to said fixed member in a direction parallel to the pivot axis defined by the spaced bearing means.

Claim 21

A closure construction as set forth in claim 16 wherein the follower structure comprises roller means, the track structure defining an arcuate recess in which said roller means is supported for supporting said closure member in its opened position and in positions intermediate its opened position and its closed position.

Claim 22

A closure construction as set forth in claim 18 wherein the track structure is comprised of spaced, arcuate plates defining the recess therebetween, the roller means having a flanged end engaging one edge of at least one of said plates for resisting movement of said closure member in a direction parallel to the axis defined by the bearing means.

Claim 23

A closure construction as set forth in claim 16 in combination with a railway coil car or the like and wherein the fixed member comprises an underframe structure defining a bed adapted to receive coiled sheet steel or the like, the closure member comprising a cover adapted to overlie in part a portion of said bed when said closure member is in its closed position, said bed being at least partially uncovered when said closure member is in its opened position.

Claim 24

A closure construction as set forth in claim 16 further including first and second counterbalance spring means, means operatively connecting said first counterbalance spring means to the closure member adjacent one of the bearing means for resiliently deforming said first counterbalance spring means upon at least a portion of the movement of said closure member between one of its positions and the other of its positions for assisting in return movement of said closure member, means operatively connecting said second counterbalance spring means to said closure member adjacent the other of said bearing means for resilient deformation of said second counterbalance spring means upon at least a portion of the movement of said closure member between one of its positions and the other of its positions for assisting in return movement of said closure member, and means for independently adjusting the preload upon each of said counterbalance spring means.

Claim 25

A closure construction as set forth in claim 21 further including operating means operatively connected to the closure member contiguous to the one bearing means for moving said closure member between its opened and its closed positions.

Claim 26

An operating mechanism for a closure construction comprising a closure member supported for pivotal movement between a closed position and an opened position, a crank arm fixed relative to said closure member for pivotal movement about the pivotal axis of said closure member, a screw shaft, a nut member threaded upon said screw shaft and movable axially therealong upon rotation of said screw shaft, means operatively connecting said nut member to the outer end of said crank arm for pivoting said crank arm and said closure member upon movement of said nut member axially along said screw shaft, a driven bevel gear affixed against rotation relative to said screw shaft, a driving bevel gear enmeshed with said driven bevel gear, means for driving said driving bevel gear for rotatably driving said screw shaft about its axis, and means supporting said screw shaft and said driven bevel gear for pivotal movement about an axis coincident with the axis of said driving bevel gear for pivotal movement of said screw shaft upon its rotation and the associated pivotal movement of said crank arm, said driven bevel gear remaining enmeshed with said driving bevel gear upon the pivotal movement of said screw shaft for maintaining the driving relationship There between upon said pivotal movement of said screw shaft.

Claim 27

An operating mechanism for a closure construction comprising a closure member supported for pivotal movement between a closed position and an opened position, a crank arm fixed relative to said closure member for pivotal movement about the pivotal axis of said closure member, a screw shaft, a nut member threaded upon said screw shaft and movable axially therealong upon rotation of said screw shaft, means operatively connecting said nut member to the outer end of said crank arm for pivoting said crank arm and said closure member upon movement of said nut member axially along said screw shaft, a driven bevel gear affixed against rotation relative to said screw shaft, a driving bevel gear enmeshed with said driven bevel gear, means for driving said driving bevel gear for rotatably driving said screw shaft about its axis, and means supporting said screw shaft and said driven bevel gear for pivotal movement about an axis coincident with the axis of said driving bevel gear for pivotal movement of said screw shaft upon its rotation and the associated pivotal movement of said crank arm, said driven bevel gear remaining enmeshed with said driving bevel gear upon the pivotal movement of said screw shaft for maintaining the driving relationship There between upon said pivotal movement of said screw shaft.

Claim 28

An operating mechanism as set forth in claim 23 further including a second closure member supported for pivotal movement between a closed and an opened position about a pivot axis parallel to the pivot axis of the first mentioned closure member and simultaneous with the movement of said first closure member, a second crank arm fixed relative to second closure member for pivotal movement about the pivot axis of said second closure member, a second screw shaft, a second nut member threaded upon said second screw shaft and axially movable therealong upon rotation of said second screw shaft, means operatively connecting said second nut member to the outer end of said second crank arm for pivoting said second crank arm and said second closure member upon movement of said second nut member along said second screw shaft, a second driven bevel gear affixed against rotation relative to said second screw shaft, said second driven bevel gear being enmeshed with the driving bevel gear, and means supporting said second screw shaft and said second driven bevel gear for pivotal movement about an axis coincident with the axis of said driving bevel gear for pivotal movement of both of said screw shafts upon pivotal movement of the respective crank arms while the driven bevel gears remain enmeshed with the driving bevel gear for maintaining the driving relationship therebetween upon pivotal movement of said closure members.

Claim 29

An operating mechanism as set forth in claim 24 in combination with a railway coil car or the like comprising an underframe structure defining a bed adapted to receive coiled sheet steel or the like, the closure members being supported upon said underframe structure for pivotal movement between their opened position wherein said bed is uncovered to a closed position wherein said closure members cover at least a portion of said bed, said operating mechanism being disposed contiguous to one end of said closure members.

Claim 30

An operating mechanism as set forth in claim 24 wherein the means for pivotally supporting the first screw shaft comprises a first housing having a hub portion rotatably supporting the first screw shaft, the means pivotally supporting said second screw shaft comprising a second housing having a hub portion rotatably supporting the second screw shaft, said housings defining spaced bearing means supporting said housings for pivotal movement on opposite sides of the driving bevel gear about an axis coincident with the axis of said driving bevel gear.

Claim 31

An operating mechanism as set forth in claim 26 wherein the housings have cooperating tongue and groove sections contiguous to the bearing means.

Claim 32

A closure construction for a railway coil car or the like comprising an underframe structure defining a freight receiving bed, a first cover, means supporting said first cover upon said underframe structure for movement from an opened position wherein said first cover is disposed adjacent one side of said underframe structure and wherein at least one side of said bed is exposed to a closed position wherein said first cover overlies at least in part said one side of said bed, a second cover, means supporting said second cover upon said underframe structure for movement from an opened position wherein said second cover is disposed adjacent the other side of said underframe structure and wherein at least the other side of said bed is exposed to a closed position wherein said second cover overlies at least in part said other side of said bed, first stop means associated with said underframe structure and with said first cover for limiting the degree of movement of said first cover in its direction of movement from its opened position to its closed position, second stop means associated with said underframe structure and with said second cover for limiting the degree of movement of said second cover in its direction of movement from its opened position to its closed position, and locKing means for fixing said first cover relative to said second cover when each of said covers are in their closed position, said first stop means being effective to preclude movement of said second cover from its closed position to its opened position when said locking means is engaged ans said second stop means being effective to preclude movement of said first cover from its closed position to its opened position when said locking means is engaged whereby said locking means, said first stop means and said second stop means preclude side-to-side swaying of said covers.

Claim 33

A closure construction for a railway coil car or the like comprising an underframe structure defining a freight receiving bed, a first cover, means supporting said first cover upon said underframe structure for movement from an opened position wherein said first cover is disposed adjacent one side of said underframe structure and wherein at least one side of said bed is exposed to a closed position wherein said first cover overlies at least in part said one side of said bed, a second cover, means supporting said second cover upon said underframe structure for movement from an opened position wherein said second cover is disposed adjacent the other side of said underframe structure and wherein at least the other side of said bed is exposed to a closed position wherein said second cover overlies at least in part said other side of said bed, first stop means associated with said underframe structure and with said first cover for limiting the degree of movement of said first cover in its direction of movement from its opened position to its closed position, second stop means associated with said underframe structure and with said second cover for limiting the degree of movement of said second cover in its direction of movement from its opened position to its closed position, and locKing means for fixing said first cover relative to said second cover when each of said covers are in their closed position, said first stop means being effective to preclude movement of said second cover from its closed position to its opened position when said locking means is engaged ans said second stop means being effective to preclude movement of said first cover from its closed position to its opened position when said locking means is engaged whereby said locking means, said first stop means and said second stop means preclude side-to-side swaying of said covers.

Claim 34

A closure construction as set forth in claim 28 wherein the covers are supported for pivotal movement between their opened and closed position.

Claim 35

A closure construction as set forth in claim 29 wherein the covers are relatively long and flexible, the means for supporting each of said covers for pivotal movement are disposed contiguous to the ends of the respective of said covers and further including intermediate supporting means for each of said covers, said intermediate supporting means comprising track means affixed to the underframe structure between the ends of the respective cover and follower means carried by the respective of said covers and engageable with said track means at least when said covers are in their opened position.

Claim 36

A closure construction as set forth in claim 29 further including operating means disposed adjacent one end of the underframe structure for moving the covers between their opened and closed positions and wherein the locking means comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced locking elements carried by the covers and operating means carried by the second cover contiguous to said one end of said underframe structure for simultaneously operating said locking elements.