Quick-opening outlet assembly for hopper cars and sanitary seal therefor

Claim 2

An outlet assembly for a hopper having a discharge opening, said assembly comprising: a frame formed to define an outlet port and including a pair of spaced-apart parallel members projecting laterally of said port from one side of same, an operating shaft journaled in said frame adjacent said one side of said opening and extending between said parallel members and transversely thereof, a slide bar extending between said parallel members and mounted for sliding movement longiTudinally of said parallel members, a gate carried by said frame and mounted for movement longitudinally of said parallel members between a first position in which said gate closes said port and a second position in which said gate is positioned to open said port, said gate being connected to said slide bar, a thrust arm having one end thereof connected to said slide bar, a crank arm keyed to said operating shaft and operatively connected to the other end of said thrust arm, and means for actuating said crank arm to rotate said operating shaft, whereby on actuation of said crank arm to rotate said operating shaft, said thrust arm acts on said slide bar to move said gate between said positions.

Claim 3

An outlet assembly for a hopper having a discharge opening, said assembly comprising: a frame comprising: a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal frame members, a pair of spaced-apart transverse frame members, said frame members being joined together to define a discharge port with one of said transverse frame members connecting like ends of said longitudinal frame members and the other of said transverse frame members being disposed intermediate the ends of the respective longitudinal frame members, whereby the other end of said longitudinal frame members project away from said discharge port, an operating shaft journaled between said longitudinal frame members adjacent said other transverse frame member, a slide bar extending between said longitudinal frame members and mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of said longitudinal frame members, and between the projecting portions of same, a gate slidably carried by said frame and mounted for movement between a first position in which it closes said port and a second position in which it is disposed to one side of said port to open same, said gate being connected to said slide bar, a thrust arm connected to said slide bar at one end of said arm, a crank arm carried by said operating shaft and operatively connected to the other end of said thrust arm, to rotate said operating shaft, and means for actuating said crank arm to rotate said operating shaft, whereby on actuation of said crank arm to rotate said operating shaft, said thrust arm acts on said slide bar to move said gate between said positions.

Claim 4

An outlet assembly for a hopper having a discharge opening, said assembly comprising: a frame comprising: a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal frame members, a pair of spaced-apart transverse frame members, said frame members being joined together to define a discharge port with one of said transverse frame members connecting like ends of said longitudinal frame members and the other of said transverse frame members being disposed intermediate the ends of the respective longitudinal frame members, whereby the other end of said longitudinal frame members project away from said discharge port, an operating shaft journaled between said longitudinal frame members adjacent said other transverse frame member, a slide bar extending between said longitudinal frame members and mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of said longitudinal frame members, and between the projecting portions of same, a gate slidably carried by said frame and mounted for movement between a first position in which it closes said port and a second position in which it is disposed to one side of said port to open same, said gate being connected to said slide bar, a thrust arm connected to said slide bar at one end of said arm, a crank arm carried by said operating shaft and operatively connected to the other end of said thrust arm, to rotate said operating shaft, and means for actuating said crank arm to rotate said operating shaft, whereby on actuation of said crank arm to rotate said operating shaft, said thrust arm acts on said slide bar to move said gate between said positions.

Claim 5

The assembly set forth in claim 2 wherein: the path of movement of said slide bar, and said operating shaft are substantially coplanar, said slide bar being disposed adjacent said operating shaft when said gate is in its said first position, said thrust bar being angled to permit said crank arm to have approximately 180* of throw with said crank arm being disposed substantially parallel to said path of movement of said slide bar when said gate is in said positions.

Claim 6

The assembly set forth in claim 3 wherein: said frame members about said port defining a funnel-shaped configuration above said gate, said thrust bar and said crank arm being angled at complementing angles axially of said operating shaft to accommodate said funneling configuration.

Claim 7

The assembly set forth in claim 3 wherein: said operating shaft and said slide bar project outwardly of said longitudinal frame members, said thrust arm and crank arm being disposed outwardly of one of said longitudinal frame members at like ends of said shaft and slide bar, and including a like thrust arm and crank arm at the other ends of said shaft and slide bar and disposed outwardly of the other of said longitudinal frame members.

Claim 8

The assembly set forth in claim 3 wherein: said slide bar is mounted in opposed parallel slots formed in said longitudinal members and extending longitudinally of said members, said slots defining the path of movement of said slide bar.

Claim 9

The assembly set forth in claim 6 including a bridge member extending between said longitudinal members adjacent said other transverse member and bElow same, said gate riding on said bridge member, said slots and said bridge member defining the path of movement of said gate between said positions.

Claim 10

The assembly set forth in claim 7 including: flexible seal strip means secured in circumambient relation about said port above but adjacent to said path of movement of said gate, with the inner border of said seal strip means projecting toward the midportion of said port and being disposed to overhang the margin of said port and engage the upper surface of said gate when said gate is in its said first position, whereby the weight of the bulk material above said strip means holds said seal strip means in sealing engagement with said gate.

Claim 11

An outlet arrangement for a hopper having a discharge opening, said arrangement comprising: a frame formed to define an outlet port and including a pair of spaced-apart parallel members projecting laterally of said port from one side of same, an operating shaft journaled in said frame adjacent said one side of said opening and extending between said parallel members and transversely thereof, a slide bar extending between and through said parallel members and mounted in same for sliding movement longitudinally of said parallel members, a gate carried by said frame and mounted for movement longitudinally of said parallel members between a first position in which said gate closes said port and a second position in which said gate is positioned to open said port, said gate being connected to said slide bar, and quick-opening linkage means interconnected between the adjacent ends of said slide bar and said operating shaft on either side of said parallel members, said linkage means each comprising: a thrust arm having one end of same connected to said slide bar, a crank arm keyed to said operating shaft and pivotally connected to the other end of said thrust arm, said thrust and crank arms being proportioned and oriented such that 180* rotation of said operating shaft causes said thrust arm to move said gate through said slide bar between said positions thereof with said crank being substantially horizontally disposed in each said position, said crank arms each including a socket structure spaced from said operating shaft to receive a crank bar to rotate said crank shaft to actuate said quick-opening linkage means.

Claim 12

An outlet arrangement for a hopper having a discharge opening, said arrangement comprising: a frame formed to define an outlet port and including a pair of spaced-apart parallel members projecting laterally of said port from one side of same, an operating shaft journaled in said frame adjacent said one side of said opening and extending between said parallel members and transversely thereof, a slide bar extending between and through said parallel members and mounted in same for sliding movement longitudinally of said parallel members, a gate carried by said frame and mounted for movement longitudinally of said parallel members between a first position in which said gate closes said port and a second position in which said gate is positioned to open said port, said gate being connected to said slide bar, and quick-opening linkage means interconnected between the adjacent ends of said slide bar and said operating shaft on either side of said parallel members, said linkage means each comprising: a thrust arm having one end of same connected to said slide bar, a crank arm keyed to said operating shaft and pivotally connected to the other end of said thrust arm, said thrust and crank arms being proportioned and oriented such that 180* rotation of said operating shaft causes said thrust arm to move said gate through said slide bar between said positions thereof with said crank being substantially horizontally disposed in each said position, said crank arms each including a socket structure spaced from said operating shaft to receive a crank bar to rotate said crank shaft to actuate said quick-opening linkage means.

Claim 13

The arrangement set forth in claim 9 including: flexible seal strip means secured in circumambient relation about said port above but adjacent to the path of movement of said gate, with the inner border of said seal strip means projecting toward the midportion of said port and being disposed to overhang the margin of said port and engage the upper surface of said gate when said gate is in its said first position, whereby the weight of the bulk material above said strip means holds said seal strip means in sealing engagement with said gate.

Claim 14

In an outlet arrangement for a hopper having a discharge opening, and a gate movable across said opening to open and close same, a seal arrangement therefor comprising: flexible seal strip means secured in circumambient relation about said port above but adjacent to the path of movement of said gate, with the inner border of said seal strip means projecting toward the midportion of said port and being disposed to overhang the margin of said port and engage the upper surface of said gate when said gate is in its port closing position, whereby the weight of the bulk material above said strip means holds said seal strip means in sealing engagement with said gate.

Claim 15

In an outlet arrangement for a hopper having a discharge opening, and a gate movable across said opening to open and close same, a seal arrangement therefor comprising: flexible seal strip means secured in circumambient relation about said port above but adjacent to the path of movement of said gate, with the inner border of said seal strip means projecting toward the midportion of said port and being disposed to overhang the margin of said port and engage the upper surface of said gate when said gate is in its port closing position, whereby the weight of the bulk material above said strip means holds said seal strip means in sealing engagement with said gate.

Claim 16

The seal arrangement set forth in claim 11 wherein: said seal strip means comprises a length of resiliently flexible material that is thickened along said inner border of said strip means for overlying relationship with said port when said gate is in its port open position.