Patent ID: 8746152
Filing Date: 2014-06-10
Classification: B61D

Abstract:
1. A low profile discharge gate assembly for a railroad hopper car, said gate assembly comprising: a rigid frame including a pair of side frame members rigidly joined to a pair of end frame members in a generally rectangular design and defining a discharge opening through which commodity is adapted to gravitationally pass, with said frame including a plurality of supports extending in generally parallel relation relative to each other and between said end frame members; a gate supported on said plurality of spaced supports for linear movement as said gate moves in a single generally horizontal path of travel between a closed position, wherein said gate prevents a flow of commodity through said discharge opening, and an open position; wherein said each side frame member and each end frame member includes an upper outwardly extending flange, with the upper flanges on said side frame members and end frame members being arranged above an upper surface of the gate and in generally coplanar relation relative to each other, and with each side frame member and each end frame member having a horizontally slanted wall extending downwardly and away from the respective upper flange on each side frame member and each end frame member and inwardly toward the discharge opening so as to define an included angle of less than 30 degrees relative to a horizontal plane defined by the coplanar relation of the upper flanges relative to each other; and wherein said each side frame member and each end frame member includes a lower outwardly extending flange, with the lower flanges on said side frame members and end frame members being arranged below a lower surface of the gate and in generally coplanar relation relative to each other, with a vertical distance of less than 7.5 inches separating a lowermost surface on the lower flange of each side frame member and each end frame member from an upper surface on the upper flange of each side frame member and each end frame member whereby lending a low profile to said gate assembly; structure carried by said side frame members and at least one of said end frame members and disposed between the lower flanges on said side frame members and at least one of said end frame members and said gate, said structure including a series of horizontally slanted surfaces extending inwardly from at least three sides of said discharge opening for restricting commodity flow passing from the discharge opening of said gate assembly, with said surfaces on said structure being horizontally slanted at an angle ranging between about 25 degrees and less than 45 degrees relative to a horizontal plane; seal structure arranged in sealing engagement with the upper surface of and toward a periphery of said gate; an operating shaft assembly supported by extensions of said side frame members for rotation about a fixed axis, with said operating shaft assembly being operably coupled to said gate; and a lock assembly for inhibiting inadvertent movement of the gate toward the open position from the closed position.