US3842994A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Train of freight cars
Assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industrie GmbH
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Filing: 1973-11-21
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-11-21
Abstract
Abstract In a train of like freight cars used, for instance, for removing rubble from a ballast cleaning machine, each car comprises a storage bin defining a top opening delimited by two end edges. A conveyor means having two ends bridges the top opening in the direction of track elongation. The conveyor means has a plurality of conveyor portions including an endless conveyor band mounted for traveling in a conveying path extending in this direction. The endless conveyor band is driven in this path in reversible directions, and at least some of the conveyor portions are mounted for movement so that a selected conveyor means end projects beyond a respective end edge and into overlapping relationship with an adjacent end of one of the conveyor means ends of an adjacent freight car.
Inventors
- 👤 J Theurer
- 👤 K Folser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:14
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61D; B61D7/00; B61D7/14; B61D7/32; B65; B65G; B65G67/00; B65G67/02; B65G67/04; B65G67/10; E; E01; E01B; E01B27/00; E01B27/06; E01B2203/00; E01B2203/03; E01B2203/032; E01B2203/034; E01B2203/038
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A train of at least two like freight cars arranged in succession, each of the freight cars comprising a storage bin defining a top opening delimited by two end edges spaced apart in the direction of the elongation of a track whereon the train is adapted to move, a conveyor having two ends and means bridging the top opening in said direction, the conveyor means having a plurality of conveyor portions including an endless conveyor band mounted for traveling in a conveying path extending in said direction, means for driving the endless conveyor band in reversible directions in said path, at least some of the conveyor portions being mounted for movement so that a selected one of its ends projects beyond a respective one of the end edges of the top opening and into overlapping relationship with an adjacent end of the conveyor means of an adjacent one of the successively arranged freight cars, and drive means for so moving the conveyor portions. 2. The train of claim 1, wherein the conveyor portions are mounted for displacement in the direction of track elongation for said movement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the conveyor portions are mounted for pivoting the selected ends thereof for said movement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
95 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the conveyor means consists of two of said conveyor portions each including an endless conveyor band and arranged in overlapping relationship, and further comprising a guide rail for each of the conveyor portions, the conveyor portions being movably mounted on the guide rails, each of the guide rails bridging the top opening in the direction of track elongation, and each of the guide rails having two ends substantially at the level of the end edges of the top opening and a center portion at levels different from each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The train of claim 4, wherein the level of the center portion of one of the guide rails is above the level of the end edges and the level of the center portion of the other guide rail is below the level of the end edges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the conveyor means consists of two of said conveyor portions each including an endless conveyor band, and further comprising a level guide rail means and a carriage for each conveyor portion movable on the guide rail means, each conveyor portion being pivotally mounted on its carriage intermediate the ends thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The train of claim 6, wherein the guide rail means is a guide rail common to both carriages.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The train of claim 6, further comprising a drive for each of the carriages whereby the carriages are self-propelled.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the conveyor means consists of two of said conveyor portions each including an endless conveyor band, the conveyor portions being of substantially the same length and the combined lengths of the conveyor portions corresponding substantially to the length of the freight car.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the conveyor means consists of three of said conveyor portions with a common endless conveyor band, one of the conveyor portions being a stationary center portion and two of the conveyor portions being independenly pivotal in respect of the center portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The train of claim 10, wherein the drive means for moving the two conveyor portions for pivoting about an axis transverse to the direction of track elongation is a hydraulic jack means associated with each of the two conveyor portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The train of claim 10, wherein the conveyor means is substantially of the same length as the freight car.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the conveyor portions mounted for movement are each arranged for independent movement, each conveyor portion having a conveying plane and the independently movable conveyor portions being movable for positioning the conveying plane thereof to enclose an acute angle with the plane of the track.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the drive means includes a cable winch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the drive means includes a rack-and-pinion drive.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The train of claim 1, wherein the drive means includes hydraulic jack means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The train of claim 1, further comprising deflector means associated with the conveyor means, the deflector means being arranged to deflect material on the conveyor means to selected regions of the bin.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The train of claim 17, further comprising servomotor means for moving the deflector means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The train of claim 18, further comprising remote control means for the drive means and the servomotor means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |