Patent ID: 7252039
Filing Date: 2007-08-07
Classification: B61D,E01B

Abstract:
1. A railcar for discharging ballast along a railway, comprising: (a) a ballast compartment defining a volume of space for carrying said ballast; (b) a deck which is coupled to said ballast compartment; (c) railcar wheel assemblies secured to said deck for engaging rails on said railway; (d) said ballast compartment having a central longitudinal axis which is generally aligned with said railway and a vertical axis which is generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis; (e) at least one hopper coupled to or integrally formed with said deck for directing downwardly ballast within said ballast compartment; (f) at least one discharge gate, each being operatively associated with a particular one of said at least one hopper, which may be selectively opened and closed to permit a downward passage of ballast; (g) at least one conveyor subassembly coupled to said railcar and located generally below said at least one discharge gate, said at least one conveyor assembly having first and second ends both substantially fixed with respects to rotation about the vertical axis of said ballast compartment and including: (h) wherein, during operation, ballast is discharged laterally a distance which is at least in part determined by a speed of operation of said at least one conveyor subassembly and said amount of pivot of said conveyor belt relative to said central longitudinal axis, said amount of pivot of said conveyor belt allowing discharge of said ballast onto the ground in an area adjacent to a selected rail on said railway, said adjacent area separated by said selected rail from an area defined between a pair or rails on said railway on which said railcar wheel assemblies are engaged.