Patent GB-996628-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to hopper waggons
Inventor: ARBEL PIERRE
IPC: B61D7/30
Filed: 1962-08-01
Abstract: 996,628. Hopper wagons. ARBEL ETABLISSEMENTS S.A., and P. ARBEL. Aug. 1, 1962 [Aug. 2, 1961], No. 29524/62. Heading B7L. A hopper wagon has two hoppers 1, 2, Figs. 1 and 2, normally closed by trap doors 3, 4 and 5, 6 respectively, the doors being hinged to the chassis at 7, 8, 9 and 10 and the edges of the doors 3 and 5 remote from their hinges 7 and 9 supporting the edges of the doors 4 and 6 remote from their hinges 8 and 10. The doors 3, 5 are connected by pivoted arms 11, 13 and a rod 15 with a hydropneumatic actuator 17, 20 pivoted to the chassis at 21 and the doors 4, 6 are connected by pivotable arms 12, 14 and a rod 16 with a hydropneumatic actuator 18, 19 pivoted to the chassis at 22. The doors 3, 5 are retained locked in their closed positions by pivoted keepers 35, 36 and latches 43, 44 all pivoted to the chassis, noses 53, 54 on the latches engaging rollers 41, 42 on the keepers. The door 5 also carries a latch 25 having thereon a feeler 28 carrying a roller 29. The latches 43, 44 are pivotally connected to rods 47, 48 which are under the urge of a spring 51. The rod 47 is pivotally connected at 61 with a hook member 60, the hinge 61 normally being retained in a shoulder 56 on a blocking member 55 secured to the chassis. Situated above the hook 60 is a hook 72 on the end of a rod 71 having secured thereto slotted links 69, 70 in which are slidable, pins 67, 68 on the ends of a two-armed lever 65, 66 secured in line with a control lever 63 pivoted to the chassis at 64. The rod 47 and hook 60 may be raised to engage the hook 72 as shown in Fig. 2, by moving a manual lever, 58 pivoted to the member 55, the lever moving a spring finger 59 to effect this operation. When the lever 58 is so set the wagon is prepared for discharging. This is effected by the control lever 63 engaging a fixed stop 62 by the track which causes the rods 47, 48 to be pulled to the right to swing the latches 43, 44 and release the keepers 35, 36 whereby the doors 3, 4 and 5, 6 are opened by the weight of the load carried in the hoppers. As the doors open the actuators 17, 18 are caused to store energy since accumulators 20, 19 thereon are provided with membranes separating gaseous and liquid chambers, and the gas is compressed. As the rods 47, 48 move the manual lever 58 is returned to position shown in Fig. 1 and the control lever 63 after passing the stop 62 returns to its vertical position. The latches 43, 44 then hold the keepers 35, 36 in the positions shown in Fig. 2 under the urge of the spring 51. The doors 4, 5 are retained against a double stop 23 on the chassis by means of a nose 26 on the latch 25 engaging a looped member 30 on the door 4. The doors are subsequently closed by the roller 29 on the feeler 28 engaging a ramp 31 suitably placed by the track. As the roller 29 rides up the ramp at one end the nose 26 is released from the member 30 and thus the doors 4 and 6 can close by means of the energy stored in the actuator 18, 19. At this time a stop 27 on the latch 25 engages a stop 24 fixed to the chassis to prevent the doors 5 and 3 from closing. When the roller 29 rides down the other end of the ramp the stops 24, 27 are disengaged and the doors 5 and 3 are closed by the energy stored in the actuator 17, 20. The doors 3, 5 pivot the keepers 35, 36 to the positions shown in Fig. 1 and the spring 51 returns the latches 43, 44 to the vertical positions to lock the keepers. The control lever 63 operates in either direction of movement of the wagon but is only effective when the manual lever is in the operative position.