Patent US2746025A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3683820A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3683820A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic hopper gate lock
Assignee: Midland Ross Corp
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Filing: 1970-09-01
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Granted: 1972-08-15
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Expires: 1990-09-01
Abstract
Abstract An automatic locking mechanism for a cable drive discharge gate, in which a counterweighted cam is positionable in the path of movement of the operating shaft of the cable drive between open and closed positions and trippable by the shaft in opening and closing movements of the gate for automatically locking the gate in closed position.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter L Floehr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:08
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61D; B61D7/00; B61D7/14; B61D7/16; B61D7/20; B61D7/24; B61D7/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
The combination, with a railway hopper car discharge gate driven between open and closed positions in a gate frame by a cable drive including an operating shaft rotatably mounted on and extending across an outer end of the gate and riding on spaced guide rails, of locking mechanism comprising a counter-weighted pawl mounted outwardly of the frame for vertical pivoting about a pivotal axis disposed parallel to the operating shaft and positioned above and outwardly thereof in the closed position of the gate, spaced cam and trip means on said pawl and alternately swingable into the path of movement and engagable with an outer side of the shaft respectively for locking the gate in closed position and tripping said pawl in an opening operation for positioning said cam means for automatically reengaging the shaft on subsequent closing of the gate, and stop means on said pawl and engagable with means fixed to said frame for holding said cam means in shaft re-engaging position during movement of said shaft outwardly thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
The combination, with a railway hopper car discharge gate driven between open and closed positions in a gate frame by a cable drive including an operating shaft rotatably mounted on and extending across an outer end of the gate and riding on spaced guide rails, of locking mechanism comprising a counter-weighted pawl mounted outwardly of the frame for vertical pivoting about a pivotal axis disposed parallel to the operating shaft and positioned above and outwardly thereof in the closed position of the gate, spaced cam and trip means on said pawl and alternately swingable into the path of movement and engagable with an outer side of the shaft respectively for locking the gate in closed position and tripping said pawl in an opening operation for positioning said cam means for automatically reengaging the shaft on subsequent closing of the gate, and stop means on said pawl and engagable with means fixed to said frame for holding said cam means in shaft re-engaging position during movement of said shaft outwardly thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination according to claim 1, wherein the operating shaft extends and the pawl is contained vertically above the level of any surface on the gate inwardly of the shaft and coNfronting the pawl during opening and closing movements of the gate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The combination according to claim 2, including shoulder means on the pawl and on tripping of the pawl swung over the shaft into a position in the path of movement thereof for engagement with an inner side of said shaft on a subsequent closing operation to enable the shaft to swing the cam means out of the way in moving under the pawl toward closed position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The combination according to claim 3, including bracket means fixed to and projecting outwardly from the gate frame and mounting the pawl, and spaced stop means on the pawl and alternately engagable with said bracket means, said stop means cooperating with the counterweighting of the pawl for alternately holding the pawl in tripping and tripped positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
108 words
The combination according to claim 4, wherein the camming and tripping means are respectively a cam portion and a trip arm at opposite sides of the pivotal axis, the center of gravity of the pawl is on the cam portion side of the axis, the cam portion has on the periphery thereof a camming surface engagable with the shaft, the cam portion intermediate ends thereof progressively increases in width in an upward direction relative to the shaft, and the trip arm has lower and upper edges respectively engagable with the shaft and strikable for releasing the shaft from the camming surface and swinging the pawl to tripping position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination according to claim 5, wherein the cam portion and trip arm have a common upper edge, and including aperture means in said bracket means inwardly of the pivotal axis for passing a seal therethrough above said upper edge and sealing the pawl in locking position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination according to claim 5, wherein the pawl is substantially centered laterally between the guide rails and confronts a central portion of the shaft.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-15 | 1976-02-14 | 1976-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-15 | 1980-02-14 | 1980-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-02-14 | 1984-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |