Trough hatch operating arrangement

Claim 1

A railway car including a roof having an elongated hatch opening extending longitudinally, first vertical coaming walls extending about said opening, a least one of said walls having an outwardly projecting ledge overhanging said opening, a pair of hatch covers having ends positioned relatively longitudinally in adjacent relation for covering said opening, said covers including second vertical walls in the closed covering position being positioned outwardly and extending downwardly in overlapping relation relative to said first walls, certain of said second vertical walls having inwardly projecting portions adapted to underlie said ledge, the improvement of a hinge and locking arrangement for each cover, each comprising: a pair of first hinge brackets connected to each cover inwardly from the ends of said cover, a second pair of hinge brackets supported on said roof, first and second shafts rotatably supported on said second brackets, an enlarged cylindrical cam member rotatably supported on each said first hinge bracket, said shafts being eccentrically connected respectively to said cam members, a first holddown arm connected to said first shaft for rotation therewith, said first arm being connected to one end of one of said covers and including clamping means engaging said cover, a second holddown arm at the opposite end of said first cover, said second arms being connected for rotation with said second shaft, said second arms including horizontally Spaced second clamping means engaging said adjacent ends of said covers, means locking said arms to said roof to clamp said covers in closed position, said arms being swingable upwardly from said locked position to rotate said shafts whereby said covers are moved laterally relative to said opening and thereby move said inwardly projecting portions outwardly from said ledges and said covers may be hingedly moved to an open position.