Vent structure for covered hopper cars

Claim 2

In a covered hopper car having opposing sidewalls and opposing end walls and a roof structure attached to said end and said sidewalls, and an opening in said roof structure communicating with the interior of the car, a venting device adjacent said roof opening to permit flow of air into or from the interior of the car when air pressure within the car is higher or lower than ambient air pressure, said device comprising: an open-ended vertical portion and a closed end horizontal portion, said horizontal portion having an opening adjacent, and fitting about, said roof opening to form an enclosure about said roof opening, said venting device having a passageway therethrough from the open-ended portion to the roof opening thereby permitting air to flow between the interior of the car and the open-ended vertical portion, filtering screen means in the vertical portion to initially filter air entering the device through the open-ended vertical portion, a filtering sheet means removably disposed in said horizontal portion and so disposed to filter air passing between the horizontal and vertical portions, said sheet means extending across said roof opening to filter air passing between the horizontal portion and the car interior, and a filtering screen means removably disposed in the roof opening.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1, and said filtering screen means in said roof opening including a resilient mounting means removably secured in said roof opening, said resilient mounting means including an annular member containing said filtering screen means and having an outer groove insertable about the roof opening releasably engaging the periphery of said roof opening for retaining the filtering screen meaNs in position in the roof opening.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1, and said open-ended vertical portion adjacent said end walls and spaced therefrom and including a horizontally extending end portion spaced from said filtering screen means in the vertical portion and extending across the said filtering screen means to protect said screen means from damaging airborne materials.

Claim 5

A vacuum relief device adapted to fit about an opening in the roof of a covered hopper car to permit air to flow into or from the interior of the car when air pressure within the car is higher or lower than ambient air pressure, said device comprising: an open-ended vertical portion and a closed end depending horizontal portion, said horizontal portion having an opening adjacent and fitting about said roof opening to form an enclosure about said roof opening, said venting device having a passageway therethrough from the open-ended vertical portion to the roof opening thereby permitting air to flow between the interior of the hopper car and the opened-ended vertical portion, filtering screen means in the vertical portion to initially filter air entering the device through the open-ended vertical portion, a filtering sheet means positioned in said horizontal portion and so positioned to filter air passing between the horizontal depending portion and the vertical portion, said sheet filtering means extending across said roof opening to filter air passing between the horizontal portion and the car interior, and a filtering screen means positioned in the roof opening.

Claim 6

A vacuum relief device adapted to fit about an opening in the roof of a covered hopper car to permit air to flow into or from the interior of the car when air pressure within the car is higher or lower than ambient air pressure, said device comprising: an open-ended vertical portion and a closed end depending horizontal portion, said horizontal portion having an opening adjacent and fitting about said roof opening to form an enclosure about said roof opening, said venting device having a passageway therethrough from the open-ended vertical portion to the roof opening thereby permitting air to flow between the interior of the hopper car and the opened-ended vertical portion, filtering screen means in the vertical portion to initially filter air entering the device through the open-ended vertical portion, a filtering sheet means positioned in said horizontal portion and so positioned to filter air passing between the horizontal depending portion and the vertical portion, said sheet filtering means extending across said roof opening to filter air passing between the horizontal portion and the car interior, and a filtering screen means positioned in the roof opening.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 4, and said open-ended vertical portion including a horizontally extending end portion spaced from said filtering means in the vertical portion and extending across said filtering screen means to protect said screen means from damaging airborne materials.

Claim 8

In a covered hopper car having opposing sidewalls and opposing end walls and a roof structure attached to said ends and said sidewalls, and an opening in said roof structure communicating with the interior of the car, intermediate bulkheads extending transversely between said sidewalls and said bulkheads spaced longitudinally to provide individual hopper means along the length of said railway car, said bulkheads including screened openings for passage of air between adjacent hopper means, a venting device adjacent said roof opening to permit flow of air into or from the interior of the car when air pressure within the car is higher or lower than ambient air pressure, said device comprising: a closed end horizontal portion and an open-ended depending vertical portion, said horizontal portion having an opening adjacent and fitting about said roof opening to form an enclosure about said roof opening, said venting device having a passageway therethrough from the open-ended vertical portion to the roof opening thereby permitting air to flow between the interior of the car and the open-ended vertical portion, filtering means in the vertical portion to initially filter air entering the device through the open-ended vertical portion, a filtering sheet means positioned in said horizontal portion and so positioned to filter air passing between the horizontal depending and the vertical portions, said filtering sheet means extending across said roof opening to filter air passing between the horizontal portion and the car interior, and a filtering screen means positioned in the roof opening.

Claim 9

In a covered hopper car having opposing sidewalls and opposing end walls and a roof structure attached to said ends and said sidewalls, and an opening in said roof structure communicating with the interior of the car, intermediate bulkheads extending transversely between said sidewalls and said bulkheads spaced longitudinally to provide individual hopper means along the length of said railway car, said bulkheads including screened openings for passage of air between adjacent hopper means, a venting device adjacent said roof opening to permit flow of air into or from the interior of the car when air pressure within the car is higher or lower than ambient air pressure, said device comprising: a closed end horizontal portion and an open-ended depending vertical portion, said horizontal portion having an opening adjacent and fitting about said roof opening to form an enclosure about said roof opening, said venting device having a passageway therethrough from the open-ended vertical portion to the roof opening thereby permitting air to flow between the interior of the car and the open-ended vertical portion, filtering means in the vertical portion to initially filter air entering the device through the open-ended vertical portion, a filtering sheet means positioned in said horizontal portion and so positioned to filter air passing between the horizontal depending and the vertical portions, said filtering sheet means extending across said roof opening to filter air passing between the horizontal portion and the car interior, and a filtering screen means positioned in the roof opening.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 6, and said horizontal portion of the vent device removably attached by threaded fasteners to the roof structure of said hopper car for retaining the vacuum relief device in position on the outer surface of said roof, and permitting its removal from the roof when replacement of the filter means is required, and said open-ended vertical portion adjacent said end wall and spaced therefrom.

Claim 11

A venting device adjacEnt an opening in a railway vehicle to permit the flow of air into the interior of said vehicle when air pressure within the vehicle is lower than ambient air pressure, said device including: a horizontal portion surrounding said opening, a downwardly extending vertical depending portion having a rectangular cross section with an open lower end portion, said vertical portion spaced from said vehicle to permit an unrestricted flow of air into said lower opening of the vertical portion, and filtering means positioned in said venting device to purify air entering into said vehicle.

Claim 12

A venting device adjacEnt an opening in a railway vehicle to permit the flow of air into the interior of said vehicle when air pressure within the vehicle is lower than ambient air pressure, said device including: a horizontal portion surrounding said opening, a downwardly extending vertical depending portion having a rectangular cross section with an open lower end portion, said vertical portion spaced from said vehicle to permit an unrestricted flow of air into said lower opening of the vertical portion, and filtering means positioned in said venting device to purify air entering into said vehicle.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 8, and said venting device removably attached to said vehicle to facilitate replacement of said filter means, said vertical portion including horizontally extending end portion spaced from said open end to prevent damaging airborne particles from entering venting device.