Eduction pipe assembly having upper flexible member

Claim 1

An eduction pipe assembly comprising: a sump located in the bottom of a railway tank car; said tank car having a dome extending above the car and located above said sump; an eduction pipe located above the sump and extending upwardly toward said dome; support means located in the bottom portion of said tank supporting said eduction pipe laterally within the tank; a flexible member sealingly attached to an upper end portion of the eduction pipe; said flexible member extending upwardly into said dome and being sealingly attached at its upper end to laterally extending support means in said dome; conduit means extending out of the dome also attached to said laterally extending support means and being in fluid communication with said flexible member; said flexible member being made of a material which is resistant to corrosive attack by ladings to be transported in the tank; a non-flexible housing attached to said support means and extending downwardly surrounding said flexible member; said housing including housing stop means which engage eduction pipe stop means located on the eduction pipe; in normal position said housing stop means supporting said eduction pipe and said flexible member within said dome and substantially out of contact with the lading; and when the tank top moves downwardly relative to the bottom after initial movement said eduction pipe being supported by said sump, and said dome and said housing moving downwardly relative to said eduction pipe with said flexible member folding upon itself; and whereby after said downward movement said flexible member returns to its original position within said dome, substantially out of contact with the lading.