Abstract:
A vibrator bracket for coupling a vibrator to a female receptacle attached to a railroad car. The vibrator is mounted to the vibrator mounting member. The vibrator mounting member includes a tongue and at least one keeper member. The tongue is wedge shaped and has an insertion end, a first side, and a second side. A flange member supports the vibrator bracket and allows it to project just beyond a bottom end of the female bracket. An urging member is mounted to an upper portion and its selective movement towards the railroad car provides for abutment of the first side of the tongue with a rear wall of the female receptacle while at least one keeper member simultaneously abuts the bottom end of the female bracket for retaining the vibrator mounting member therein while the railroad car is emptying.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     With regard to the classification of art, this invention is believed to be found in the general class for Supports and more particularly to those subclasses pertaining to the removable mounting of a car shaker vibrator to a railroad car. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Railroad hopper cars are used to transport various types of material such as; coal, cement, chemicals, flour, grains and the like. Usually, transporting the material from one site to another results in compaction thereof. After compaction, the materials generally are jammed and do not flow easily upon the opening of the hopper car discharge gate or gates. Generally a car-shaker vibrator is removably attached to the railroad hopper car for breaking loose the jammed material and maintaining its flow until the car is nearly emptied. Removable or detachable vibratory railroad car shaker apparatus are known in the field. Exemplary brackets and tools for the removable mounting of a vibrator to a railroad car are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,733 that issued to Petersen on Oct. 10, 1961; U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,431 that issued to Matson on Aug. 26, 1969; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,588 that issued to the present inventor on May 9, 2000. U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,217 that issued to the present inventor on Mar. 27, 2007 is solely owned by him and discloses a bracket that uses the forces generated by a vibrator for seating and loosening bracket from the railroad car. U.S. Pat. No. 7,458,547 that issued to the present inventor on Dec. 2, 2008 is solely owned by him and discloses an expandable bracket for mounting a vibrator to a railroad car. These patents disclose a common type of separable male/female bracket arrangement. Usually the female portion of the bracket is attached to a hopper portion of a railroad car. This type of bracket is sometimes referred to as a Gardner or Tyler type and generally has a C-shaped seat or pocket portion (i.e. a wedge, dovetail or the like.) The male portion generally may be characterized as a T-shape that has a blade member (i.e. male wedge, male dovetail or the like) and a reduced connector portion (i.e. web, neck, leg and the like). U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,733 also discloses a wedge shaped tool for separating the male portion from the female portion of the bracket. U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,431 discloses a threaded means for retaining the male portion of the bracket in the female portion of the bracket. U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,588 that issued to the present inventor and is solely owned by him discloses a tool that may be employed for releasing the wedge from the female portion or half. 
     All of the above listed patents are attempts to improve the installation and removal of railroad car shakers at their point of use. However, the listed patents may not be practical in application to all the railroad cars that are used for the conveyance of materials due to either the wear of the female portion of the bracket or the mounting location of the female bracket or the type of female bracket (Garner, Tyler, or Newer Low Cost style). The end user therefore must be prepared to mount his car shaker on various railroad cars with various brackets and mounting conditions. This situation requires multiple types of male brackets be in stock at the discharge site. 
     It has been determined that there is a need for a male bracket that may couple a car shaker vibrator to most of the current railroad cars and be easily removable there from. 
     The present invention is believed to solve the identified need by providing the end user with at least one type of male bracket for coupling a car shaker vibrator to a majority of the railroad cars in operation today. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention may be briefly described as: actionable vibrator bracket for coupling a vibrator to a female receptacle attached to a railroad car that is to be vibrated. The female receptacle having an entry end and a second end that is distal to the entry end. The actionable vibrator bracket includes: a vibrator mounting member, a middle portion and an upper portion. The vibrator mounting member is adapted for mounting the vibrator thereto. The vibrator mounting member includes at least one keeper member. The vibrator mounting member further includes a tongue portion that is wedge shaped and has an insertion end, a first side, and a second side. The insertion end of the tongue portion projects a predetermined distance from the middle portion. The middle portion further includes at least one flange member that is arrayed for resting on the entry end of the female receptacle that is attached to the railroad car while allowing the insertion end of the tongue portion to project a predetermined distance beyond the bottom or second end of the female bracket. The upper portion extends a selected distance from the middle portion in a direction that is distal to the tongue portion and is sized and configured for mounting an urging member thereon and thereto. The urging member is adapted for selective movement to and towards a wall of the railroad car. 
     Wherein the tongue portion of the vibrator mounting member is sized to be loosely seated interior of the female receptacle while being simultaneously supported on the entry end of the female receptacle by the at least one flange member of the middle portion. Subsequent selective movement of the urging member to and towards the railroad car provides for the contact of the first side of the tongue portion with an interior surface or rear wall of the wedge pocket of the female receptacle while simultaneously providing for the abutment of at least one keeper member with the bottom or second end of the female bracket for retaining the vibrator mounting member during the selective emptying of the railroad car. Subsequent selective movement of the urging member away from the railroad car allows for the removal of the abutment of the at least one keeper member from the bottom or second end of the female bracket for the loosening and subsequent easy removal of the vibrator mounting member from the female receptacle. 
     The present invention is believed to be adaptable to various types of vibrators (i.e., rotary, linear, etc) that may be operated either pneumatically, or electrically or hydraulically. 
     The urging member may be a removable portion of moveable end of an actuator such as a pneumatically operated spring, pneumatically operated pancake cylinder and the like. The use of a pneumatically controlled actuator is preferred for ease of use and operation when a pneumatic rotary vibrator is used. 
     In addition to the above summary, the following disclosure is intended to be detailed to insure adequacy and aid in the understanding of the invention. However, this disclosure, showing particular embodiments of the invention, is not intended to describe each new inventive concept that may arise. These specific embodiments have been chosen to show at least one preferred or best mode for an actionable vibrator bracket of the present invention. These specific embodiments, as shown in the accompanying drawings, may also include diagrammatic symbols for the purpose of illustration and understanding. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  represents a plan view of a C-type female bracket that is mounted on a sidewall of a railroad car. The sidewall is shown in dashed outline. 
         FIG. 2  represents a left side elevation of the C-type female bracket of  FIG. 1  that is mounted to sidewall of the railroad car. The sidewall has a transition bend formed in it that limits the access space immediately above female bracket 
         FIG. 3  represents a left side elevation of the C-type female bracket of  FIG. 1  that is mounted to the sidewall of a railroad car and has unrestricted access immediately above the female bracket. This female bracket further includes a pair of lugs that project from the bottom of its front face. 
         FIG. 4  represents a plan view of a relatively new low cost type of female bracket that is adapted for mounting to a sidewall of a railroad car. 
         FIG. 5  represents a left side elevation of the female bracket of  FIG. 4  that is mounted to the sidewall of a railroad car. 
         FIG. 6  represents a front elevation of a first embodiment of a male bracket of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  represents a left side elevation of the first embodiment of the male bracket of  FIG. 6 . This male bracket including a first type of a keeper member 
         FIG. 8  represents a front elevation of a second embodiment of a male bracket of the present invention. This male bracket is similar to the male bracket of  FIG. 6  except that it is assembled from two selectively separable sub-assemblies. 
         FIG. 9  represents a left side elevation of the second embodiment of the male bracket of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  represents a left side elevation of the first embodiment of the male bracket that has been loosely seated in the female bracket of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The sidewall and female bracket are shown in dashed outline. 
         FIG. 11  represents a left side elevation of the male bracket shown in  FIG. 10  after its urging member contacts the sidewall of the railroad car. 
         FIG. 12  represents a left side elevation of a third embodiment of the male bracket of the present invention that may be loosely mounted in either of the female brackets of  FIG. 1 , or  FIG. 3  or  FIG. 5 . This view also showing a removable type of a keeper member in the form of an elongated pin that is tethered to the male bracket. The sidewall and female bracket are shown in dashed outline. 
         FIG. 13  represents a side elevation of the male bracket of  FIG. 12  after the urging member contacts the sidewall of the railroad car subsequent to the removable keeper member being placed in a through aperture for engaging or abutting an edge at the bottom end of the female bracket. 
         FIG. 14  represents a left side elevation of the male bracket of  FIG. 7  that further includes a neck portion in the form of an adapter block for mounting the vibrator thereto. The adapter block includes an aperture for receiving the tethered removable keeper member of  FIG. 12 . 
     
    
    
     In the following description and in the appended claims, various details are identified by specific names for convenience. These names are intended to be generic in their application while differentiating between the various details. The corresponding reference numbers refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawing. 
     The drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification disclose details of construction for the sole purpose of explanation. It is to be understood that structural details may be modified without departing from the concept and principles of the invention as claimed. This invention may be incorporated into other structural forms than shown. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Description of Female Bracket Types 
     Referring first to  FIGS. 1 through 5 . The C-type female bracket shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  is generally identified as  10 . This female bracket  10  has a generally C shaped cross section as more clearly seen in  FIG. 1 . Female bracket  10  has a rear wall  12 , a pair of inclined front panels  14  and a pair of end walls  16  that are arrayed in a spaced relationship and connect the front panels  14  with the rear wall  12 . An exterior surface of the rear wall  12  is generally attached to a sidewall  18  of a railroad car as may be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Female bracket  10  may be mounted on the sidewall  18  of the railroad car in various locations. In some instances the female bracket  10  may be mounted to a discharge chute portion of the railroad car in such a position that its entry end  20  is close to a transition bend  22  in the sidewall  18  therefore restricting the length of space above the entry end for insertion of a male bracket therein. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , some types of the C-type female brackets include the features of female bracket  10  but further include a pair of spaced lugs  24  that are positioned at or near the second end or bottom end  26  and protrude outwardly there from. The bottom end  26  of the female bracket  10  is distal to the entry end  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a new type of female bracket is generally identified as  30 . Female bracket  30  consists of right hand tapered guide  32  and a left hand tapered guide  34  that are attached to a rear plate member  36 . The rear plate member  36  is generally larger than the tapered guides  32  and  34 . This results in a rear plate member  36  that extends beyond the guides  32  and  34  in all direction by a minimum of a 2″ (5.1 cm). The rear plate member  36  is attached to sidewall  18  of the railroad car by a suitable means and forms the rear wall  12  of the female bracket  30 . 
     Description of the First Embodiment 
     Referring first to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . The first embodiment of the actionable vibrator bracket is generally identified as  50 . The vibrator bracket  50  includes a vibrator mounting member  52 , a middle portion  54  and an upper portion  56 . A vibrator that is shown in dashed outline is identified as  58 . The vibrator  58  may be either pneumatically, or electrically or hydraulically operated. The vibrator  58  may be of the rotary or linear type. The vibrator  58  is removably secured to the vibrator mounting member  52  by a plurality of threaded bolts (not shown) that are threaded into a neck or web portion  60 . This neck or web portion  60  may be integrally formed as part of a vibrator housing or provided as a separate member that is inserted as a spacer or an adapter between the mounting feet of the vibrator housing and the vibrator mounting member  52 . The neck or web portion  60  passes through the gap between the front panels  14 . The heads of the threaded bolts should be of the type and size that allows them to be seated in recessed apertures  62  that are selectively spaced and formed into a first side  64  of a tongue portion  66  of the vibrator mounting member  52  for providing a flush condition. One non-limiting example of the type of recessed apertures  62  are counter sunk apertures for use with a flat head bolt. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 ,  7 ,  10  and  11 . The tongue portion  66  is wedge shaped and sized and shaped to fit loosely into a cavity  68  formed by the interior walls of the female bracket  10  or  30  with a selected peripheral clearance. It is preferred that the thicker portion  70  of the tongue portion  66  have a peripheral clearance with respect to the entry end  20  of the cavity  68  between 0.125 in. and 0.250 in. (3 mm to 6 mm) for allowing its easy insertion and removal thereof. The tongue portion  66  further includes an insertion end  72 , and a second side  73 . It is preferred that the thickness of the tongue portion  66  between the first side  64  and the second side  73  be less at the insertion end  72  than at the thicker portion  70 . The tongue portion  66  should be of a sufficient length for allowing the insertion end  72  to protrude beyond the face at the bottom  26  of the female bracket  10  or  30  while and when the middle portion  54  is resting on the entry end  20  of the female bracket as may be seen in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 . Referring again to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , it is preferred that this first embodiment further include at least one keeper member  76  that is a lug that projects at right angles for a predetermined distance from the first side  64  of the insertion end  72 . The use of this keeper member  76  will be discussed below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  6 ,  7 ,  10 , and,  11  the middle portion  54  includes at least one flange  78  that is adapted to rest on the entry end  20  of the female bracket  10  or  30 . It is preferred that this flange  78  extends in at least two directions over the end walls  16  of the female bracket to insure contact with the entry end of the female bracket  10  or  30 . 
     The upper portion  56  of the vibrator bracket  50  is sized for mounting an urging member  80  thereto. The urging member  80  depicted in this first embodiment is a pneumatically operated spring or pancake cylinder. The urging member  80  should have a sufficient force capacity and stroke length for contacting the sidewall  18  of the railroad car when selectively actuated after the vibrator bracket  50  has been loosely seated in the female bracket  10 . The urging member  80  must have a sufficient force capacity for maintaining contact of the first side  64  with the wall  12  during operation of the vibrator  58 . It is to be noted that the upper portion  56  should be of sufficient strength for minimizing deflection thereof when the urging member  80  is energized. It is preferred that gussets  82  also be provided to reinforce a vertical mounting plate  84  that the urging member  80  is removably attached thereto. 
     It is preferred that the upper portion further includes a handle  86  for aiding in the insertion and removal of the vibrator bracket  50  from the female bracket attached to the railroad car. 
     Description of the Second Embodiment 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 . The second embodiment of the vibrator bracket of the present invention is generally identified as  90 . The second embodiment of the vibrator bracket  90  is very similar to the first embodiment  50  of the vibrator bracket. In this second embodiment  90 , the vibrator mounting member  92  and the upper portion  94  with its urging member  80  attached are discrete individual members or individual portions or sub-assemblies that are removably joined and retained at the middle portion  96  by and with at least one retaining member  98 . In this second embodiment  90 , the middle portion  96  includes an elongated flange plate  99  that has a pair of ears  100  that extend upwardly and are attached thereto in spaced relationship that allows for mating with the spaced gusset members  82  of the U-shaped upper portion  94 . It is preferred that the middle portion  96  be removably secured to the vibrator mounting member  92  with a pair of threaded bolts  97  so that the vibrator mounting member  92  can be change after being damage or worn. It is preferred that two short retaining members  98  be used rather than one elongated retaining member that would need to be inserted into and aligned through all the apertures  102  in each ear  100  and gusset  82 . The retaining members  98  are selectively removable for allowing the vibrator and the vibrator mounting member  92  with its attached flange plate  99  to be installed first and seated in confined locations such as a female bracket shown in  FIG. 2 . Next, the U-shaped upper portion  94  is positioned on the elongated flange plate  99  with the through apertures  102  aligned. Each retaining member  98  is then inserted and seated in its respective through aperture  102  for securing the U-shaped upper portion  94  to the vibrator mounting member  92 . It is preferred that each retaining member  98  be tethered to either the vibrator mounting member  92  or the upper portion  94  for convenience in use. One non-limiting example of a retaining member  98  is a commercially available ball detent pin. 
     Description of the Third Embodiment 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 12 through 14 . A third embodiment of the vibrator bracket of the present invention is generally identified as  110 . Vibrator bracket  110  is similar in most respects to vibrator bracket  50  and intended for use with all of the female brackets shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5 . In this third embodiment the keeper member  112  is an elongated pin that is attached to a selected point on the vibrator bracket  110  by and with a flexible tether. After the vibrator and the vibrator bracket  110  are loosely seated in the female bracket, the keeper member  112  is positioned in a through aperture  114  in the neck or web portion  60  of the vibrator. As previously mentioned this neck or web portion  60  may be integrally formed into a vibrator housing or provided as a separate member that is inserted as a spacer between the mounting surface of the vibrator housing and the tongue. When the vibrator bracket  110  is used primarily with the new or low cost female bracket  30  the keeper member  76  may be removed or eliminated from the tongue portion  66  for allowing a fuller contact of the first side  64  with the wall of the railroad car when the flange portion of the rear plate member  36  projects below the bottom most edge  26  of the tapered guides  32  and  34 . However it is to be noted that vibrator bracket  110  may include both of the keeper members  76  and  112 . 
     Use and Operation 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , (1) an operator uses the handle  86  to loosely seat the male tongue portion  66  of the vibrator bracket into the cavity  68  of the female bracket  10  or  30  so that the flange  78  rests on the entry end  20  of the female bracket  10  or  30 . (2) When the bottom edge of the rear wall  12 , the front panels  14  and the end walls are in close alignment and are slightly above the upper face of the keeper member  76  of the seated vibrator bracket, the operator connects a supply line  88  to a supply port for the body portion of the urging member  80  to a source of a fluid under pressure. It is preferred that a standard control valve, not shown, be located in the supply line  88  for controlling the direction of flow of the pressurized fluid to the body portion of the urging member  80 . The urging member  80  is moved towards the sidewall  18  of the railroad car when the pressurized fluid is applied to the body portion of the urging member  80 . (3) After the urging member  80  contacts the sidewall  18  of the railroad car, the continued application of the pressurized fluid to the body of the urging member  80  moves the vibrator bracket  50  in a clockwise direction until the second side  73  contacts the interior face  74  of the front panels  14  of the female bracket  10 . Further application of the pressurized fluid in the body portion of the urging member  80  moves the lug type keeper member  76  into engagement with the bottom  26  of the rear wall  12  of the female bracket while simultaneously allowing the first side  64  of the vibrator bracket to contact the interior surface of the rear wall  12  of the female bracket. (4) The vibrator  58  may then be energized by whatever motive force for the type of vibrator installed on the vibrator bracket. Generally, the vibrator is pneumatically operated so therefore the body portion of the urging member  80  is either an air spring or a bellows or a pancake cylinder. The vibrator bracket is retained in the female bracket and the contact of the first side with the rear wall  12  is maintained by fluid pressure that maybe maintained by either a closed control valve or the continuous connection of the supply line  88  to a source of a pressurized fluid. (5) After the vibrator  58  is de-energized and the railroad car has been sufficiently emptied, the pressure to the body of the urging member  80  is vented by way of the control valve. After the pressure has been released, the operator pushes the handle  86  towards the wall  18  of the railroad car to release the keeper member  76  from engagement with the bottom  26  of the rear wall  12  thereby allowing the now loosely fitting vibrator bracket assembly  50  to be easily lifted out of the cavity of the female bracket by the handle  86 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the third embodiment  110  of the present invention is used when the bottom edge of the rear plate member  36 , the right hand tapered guide  32  and the left hand tapered guide  34  are out of alignment as may be also seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5  and in the discussion above in connection with female bracket  30 . When the rear plate member  36  extends below the bottom edge of the right hand tapered guide  32  and the left hand tapered guide  34  as seen in  FIG. 5 , the keeper member  76  of the first embodiment  50  may not be able to be used. The tongue portion  66  may need to be at least 2 inched longer than a standard length tongue. First of all, a space restriction such as a bend in the railroad car sidewall above the entry end of the female bracket, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , may not permit a tongue portion  66  that is as much as 2 inches longer than standard to be inserted into the female bracket  30 . After the vibrator and the vibrator bracket  110  are loosely seated in the female bracket  30 , the keeper member  112  in the form of an elongated pin is positioned in a through aperture  114  in the neck or web portion  60  of the vibrator. As previously mentioned this neck or web portion  60  may be integrally formed into a vibrator housing or provided as a separate T-shaped spacer  104  that is inserted between the mounting surface of the vibrator housing and the second side  73  of vibrator mounting member  52 . The T-shaped spacer  60  may be seen in  FIG. 14 . After the body of the urging member  80  has be moved in contact with the wall of the railroad car and the vibrator  58  energized the vibrator bracket  110  may move upward until the keeper member  112  abuts surfaces at the bottom  26  of the female bracket for retaining the vibrator bracket in the female bracket during the operation of the vibrator  58 . After the vibrator  58  is de-energized and the railroad car has been emptied, the pressure to the body of the urging member  80  is vented so that the operator is able to remove the keeper member  112  from the through aperture  114  thereby allowing the loosely fitting vibrator bracket assembly  50  to be easily lifted out of the cavity of the female bracket by the handle  86 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 ,  8  and  9 , the use and operation of the second embodiment  90  of the vibrator bracket of the present invention is similar to the use and operation of the first embodiment  50  and third embodiment  110  of the present invention. This second embodiment  90  may be used with either of the known female brackets  10  or  30 . This second embodiment  90  of the present invention may also be used when the entry end of the female bracket is mounted close to a bend  22  in the wall of the railroad car, as may be seen in  FIG. 2 . In this situation, the U-shaped upper portion  94  of the vibrator bracket  92  is separated from the middle portion  96  by removing the retaining members  98  prior to the installation of the vibrator mounting member  92  into the female bracket. The operator inserts the vibrator, vibrator mounting member and flange sub-assembly into the female bracket so that its flange is resting on the entry end  20  and the tongue portion  66  is loosely fitting therein. Subsequently the U-shaped upper portion  94  is positioned on the middle portion  96  so that the through apertures  102  are aligned and secured thereto by inserting the retaining member  98  into the through apertures  102 . One or both of the keeper members  76  or  102  may be used when the urging member  80  is brought in contact with the wall of the railroad car and the vibrator is energized. The second embodiment  90  may be installed or removed either as a unit or as separated sub-assemblies to suit the mounting location of the female bracket on the wall of the railroad car. 
     It is to be noted, that in all the embodiments described above it is preferred that the vibrator  58  include a grasping handle also shown in dashed outline for aiding in the installation and removal of the present invention from the female bracket. 
     It is anticipated that the urging member may be brought in contact with the sidewall of the railroad car by means of either a mechanically operated device such as a toggle or an electrically operated device. 
     Directional terms such as “front”, “back”, “in”, “out”, downward, upper, lower and the like may have been used in the description. These terms are applicable to the embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely used for the purpose of description in connection with the drawings and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the present invention may be used. 
     While these particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and protection is sought to the broadest extent that the prior art allows.