Railway hopper car pivoted closure chute

Claim 1

In a car comprising: hoppers disposed longitudinally thereof, each hopper having longitudinally extending discharge openings, at least one above each rail on which the car rides, a discharge control member for each discharge opening, means pivotally supporting each of said discharge control member from the car body for rotation about a pivotal axis parallel and directly above the associated car rail, each discharge control member having (1) an arcuate top surface extending parallel to and covering the discharge opening when in the closed position and rotatable about said pivotal axis to uncover the discharge oPening an amount dependent upon the degree of rotation thereof, (2) a pair of sidewalls inclined downwardly from said arcuate top surface so as to direct ballast flowing through the discharge opening to one side or the other of the car rails, the pivotal axis about which the discharge member is mounted being located above the center of gravity thereof so as to be counterweighted and to normally assume said closed position, the counterweight of the discharge member plus the weight of the ballast flowing onto either of the sidewalls exerting a force on the discharge member tending to return it to said closed position, actuating means to rotate the discharge control member about its pivotal axis to the open or closed position, and friction brake means acting between the discharge member and its support means for applying a force sufficient to equalize the rotative force exerted by the weight of the ballast flowing over the sidewall and the counterweight of the discharge member tending to return the discharge member to the closed position, whereby, when the discharge member is manually rotated about its pivotal axis to discharge ballast, said brake means will maintain the open position until the equalizing force is overcome by said actuating means, whereupon the discharge member swings back to the closed position.