Improvements in or relating to Dumping Cars.
Year: 1889

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Dumping Cars.
1, JOSEPH DUFF, of Lansing, Ontario, Dominion of Canada, Grain Merchant, but
now temporarily residing in England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows
•
This invention relates to dumping cars such as are used in constructing and
ballasting railroads, excavating and filling in, canal and dock building, for carrying
ores, mining coal, and like purposes.
Dumping cars constructed according to my invention are applicable for use
either singly or in a train, and the main feature is the tilting of the car (thus
discharging the contents) by means of compressed air arrangements connected with
each car and with a suitable compressor located upon the engine, tender, or upon any
special car or van included in the train.
A convenient arrangement of apparatus for carrying out my invention may be
understood from the following specification :-
The truck or wheels of the car are of any suitable construction and connected with
the platform or car frame in the usual or any approved manner.
The main platform, bed or frame is of any suitable configuration adapted to carry
the apparatus which is employed for tilting the box and also affording bearings for
the axle thereof. This axle passes through proper bearings upon the bottom of the
tilting body or box. This box is provided at one side with a door, the same extending
preferably entirely across the side thereof so as to give free egress to the load. Said
door is hung from a bar supported at the upper corners of the side walls of the box
at one side, so that when it swings outwards said door will fall away from the floor
or bottom of the box, suitable projections are affixed to said door, and to these are
pivoted levers, No. 1, extending along close to the end walls of the car, and again
pivoted to the upper ends of vertical swinging levers, No. 2, the lower ends of which
move upon pivot pins or bolts carried by the main frame of the car, the same being
also in connection with pivoted levers Nos. 3 and 4, the latter of which is hung from
a rigid pin or pivot upon the tilting box. A boxing attached to the lower side of
the tilting box is adapted to receive the cross-head of a short lever No. 5, which is in
turn pivoted to the cross-head of a piston rod, carrying a piston working in the
tilting cylinder. Said tilting cylinder is preferably vertical and carried below the
main bed plate, although in such manner that it will properly clear the car truck.
The cross-head of the piston rod works in suitable guides attached vertically to a
small frame No. 1, mounted upon the bed plate, and this frame is slotted longitudinally
so as to receive the journals of a roller, against which one or more inclined surfaces
of the aforesaid cross head will impinge as the piston of the tilting cylinder moves
upwards, said roller being then forced outwards (its journals moving in the slots),
and these latter have their outer ends connected with a three-sided frame No. 2
surrounding the frame No. 1, in such manner that that side of it which is parallel
with the roller, (but on the opposite side of the piston rod cross-head) will carry a
locking bolt or pin which snaps into a perforation in a swinging block journalled in
the main frame or bed, and also extending into a perforation in the locking bar which
passes through a vertical opening in said swinging block, said locking bar being 'free
.

page_text: at its lower end but pivoted to suitable lugs, affixed to the tilting box at or near
the side which is opposite to the discharge door. When the tilting piston is at the
upper end of its stroke; the upper end of the short lever connected therewith bears
against the bottom of the tilting box, it having forced the latter into position for
discharging, and the air pressure holds same up while the load is being discharged,
and the discharge door is held sufficiently open to allow the load to escape by means
of the levers Nos. 1 and 2, which have been actuated by the levers No. 4 through the
levers No. 3, these also serving to subsequently draw the door back to a closed
position. Springs (or cords and weights) attached to the three-sided frame aforesaid
and to the main frame serve to return the former frame to its first position and throw
the locking pin aforesaid into the perforation in the locking bar, and the air pressure
being simultaneously withdrawn from the tilting cylinder, as will be hereinafter
explained, the tilting box will fall back by its own weight, its door being closed by
the levers, Nos. 1 and 2, and the other parts return to their normal position, the pistou
rod cross-head being assisted to return by means of a spring attached thereto and to
the cylinder or any other point below.
car.
I must now explain that the compressed air is brought from the compressor through
two pipes Nos. and 2, the connections of which between the cars are flexible and
arranged in any of the well known methods, such as those in use with air brakes, the
first of these pipes enters the main cylinder No. 1, which is arranged by preference
upon the main frame or bed plate, and the latter pipe enters a reserve cylinder No. 2,
placed in juxtaposition to the cylinder No. 1, and a pipe No. 3 (flexible if desired)
connects these two cylinders together, it being understood that the cylinder No. 2
will be always charged when the connection with the air pipe No. 2 is open, and
another pipe (also called No. 2 as it is a continuation of that formerly mentioned)
leads out from the cylinder No. 2 at the port No. 1 and thence along to the next
In the cylinder No. 1 there are two ports Nos. 2 and 3, No. 2 being fed by the
pipe No. 3, and this port connects with a passage way leading through a combined
sliding valve and piston in the cylinder, and the port No. 3 opens into a pipe No. 4
which extends downwards through the floor of the car and enters one end of a larger
pipe or chamber No. 5 connected to the tilting cylinder by a short pipe No. 6 near
the lower end of said cylinder, thus acting to supply the same with compressed air
for raising the tilting piston. The continuation pipe No. 1 (to next car) is fed from
a port No. 4, which is opened by the motion of the sliding valve. The sliding valve
aforesaid is returned to its normal position when the air pressure is withdrawn, by a
spring contained in the end of the cylinder No. 1 and acting upon a short bar
connected to the valve. Passages in the valve connect with the usual waste ports
and with the ports Nos. 3 and 4. The above described arrangement illustrates my
method of tilting a number of cars connected together by the main air pipes Nos. 1
and 2.
In order to permit any one of the cars being emptied at any particular point
without affecting the others in the train, I supply each car with an extra or individual
cylinder No. 3 having a sliding piston valve of somewhat similar construction to
the valve of cylinder No. 1, and the compressed air is supplied to this by a
pipe No. 7 leading from the reserve cylinder or reservoir No. 2, the air entering by
a port No. 5, and passing through a passage in the sliding piston valve, and out
through a port No. 6 to a pipe No. 8 leading down to the pipe or chamber No. 5, and
thence finding its way into the tilting cylinder in the same manner as that described
by the pipe No. 4 in connection with the cylinder No. 1.
The piston or valve in cylinder No. 3 is not operated by the air from the main
compressor, but is thrown from one end of the cylinder to the other by a hand
lever extending to the side of the car, and pivotted at its inner end to a frame No. 3
mounted on the bed plate, this lever being also pivotted to the end of a bar or rod
projecting from the piston valve out through one end of the cylinder No. 3, and this
lever is adapted to be locked, and thus retain the piston valve in position, with its
ports open (and in connection with the pipes Nos. 7 and 8), by passing along and
into a notch in a pivotted catch bar extending alongside of the frame No. 3. The

page_text: unlocking is effected by depressing the outer end of the said catch bar by a cross
lever, suitably pivotted and also extending within reach of the operator's hand.
The other end of the piston valve has a bar (similar to the bar or rod aforesaid)
extending outward from the cylinder No. 3 into a spring casing attached to the
end of such cylinder, the spring in which serves to return the piston valve to its
first position and thus close the ports Nos. 5 and 6 directly the hand lever is released
from the locking bar, thus shutting off the air from the pipe No. 8 and tilting
cylinder and allowing the tilting box to resume its horizontal position, in the same
manner as before described. The usual waste port is provided in the valve and its
cylinder, which will allow the air to escape from the pipe No. 7 when this part of
the apparatus is put out of operation as just described.
In this
In some cases I may use a modified arrangement whereby I do away with the
main cylinder No. 1 and use the so-called extra cylinder No. 3 for the purpose of
simultaneously tilting all of the cars in a train, as well as any single car when desired,
and this will be well understood when it is remembered that there will be a complete
system of cocks at the proper points throughout the different air pipes.
case, supposing there is a cock in the main air pipe No. 1, and this is open, the air
passes into the end of the cylinder No. 3, and forces back the sliding valve therein,
until the ports Nos. 5 and 6 are in connection with the pipes No. 7 (leading from
the reserve cylinder No. 2), and No. 8 (going to the tilting cylinder), and the
operation of the tilting piston proceeds as before described, the continuation pipe No. 1
leading to the next car being also supplied in the same manner from the port No. 4,
and the continuation pipe No. 2 leading as before, from the reservoir to the next car.
By closing the cock, I cut off the air from the pipe No. and rely upon that
coming from the reserve cylinder No. 2 to tilt that particular car, using, of course,
the hand lever before described for throwing back the valve in cylinder No. 3, and
the spring aforesaid returns said valve and thus closes the ports and cuts off the
air from the pipe No. 8 and the tilting cylinder.
The system of cocks before alluded to will be employed in any well known manner
and according to the judgment of the builder, and therefore it is not necessary that
I should illustrate or explain their arrangement; and furthermore, I do not limit
myself to the various details of construction nor to the general plan of compressed
air pipes, cylinders and connections shown, as these may be varied without departing
from the essential principles of my invention.
Dated this 27th day of May 1880
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
F
'
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Dumping Cars.
I, JOSEPH DUFF of Lansing, County of York, Ontario, Dominion of Canada, Grain
Merchant, but now temporarily residing in England, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to dumping-cars, such as are used in constructing and
ballasting railroads, excavating and filling in, canal and dock building, for carrying
ores, mining coal, and like purposes.
Dumping-cars constructed according to my invention are applicable for use either
singly or in a train, and the main feature is the tilting of the car (thus discharging
the contents) by means of compressed-air arrangements connected with each car, and
with a suitable compressor located upon the engine, tender, or upon any special car
or van included in the train.
A convenient arrangement of apparatus for carrying out my invention is shown in
the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and for full com-
prehension of the principles and details of construction reference must be had thereto,
similar letters of reference indicating like parts.

page_text: gs,
Figure 1 is a side view of a dumping-car constructed according to my invention,
the view being taken from that side which is opposite to the discharge-door, the
tilting body being in place upon the car-frame.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the car-frame and bed or. platform with the tilting body
removed.
Figure 3 is an end view, partly in section, showing, the body in position before it
is tilted.
Figure 4 is a vertical sectional elevation looking at the same end, but with the
tilting body in the position it occupies while the load is being discharged.
Figure 5 is a sectional plan showing the main compressed-air cylinder and valves,
such as are attached to the car; and
Figure 6 is a vertical section of the same, both views representing the sliding valve
in the position it occupies under pressure from the main air-pipe, that is, with the ports
thrown into connection with the pipe leading from the reserve cylinder and that com-
municating with the tilting-cylinder, and also with the main pipe leading to the next
car in the train.
Figures 7 and 8 are similar views and of the same parts as Figures 5 and 6, but
with the sliding valve in its forward or normal position, that is, with its "operating"
ports closed and waste-ports open to carry off the "back-pressure
". air from the
pipe connected with the tilting-cylinder and the main or trunk air-pipe.
Figure 9 is a sectional plan showing the cylinder and apparatus employed for tilting
a single car, the sliding valve having its ports in connection with the reserve cylinder
and tilting-cylinder.
Figure 10 is a sectional plan of a modification, whereby the operating handle of the
extra cylinder is replaced by the main air-pipe.
To avoid complication I have not shown the truck or wheels of the car, but simply
indicate their general position by dotted lines in Figure 1, these being of any
suitable construction and connected with the platform or car-frame in the usual or any
approved manner.
A represents the main platform, bed, or frame, of any suitable configuration adapted
to carry the apparatus which is employed for tilting the box and also affording bearings
for the axle thereof. A represents such axle, the same passing through proper
bearings a a upon the bottom of the tilting body or box B. This box is provided at
one side with a door B₁, the same extending, preferably, entirely across the side
thereof, so as to give free egress to the load. Said door is hung from a bar B³,
supported at the upper corners of the side walls of the box at one side, so
that when it swings outward said door will fall away from the floor or bottom
of the box. Suitable projections b b are affixed to said door, and to these are
pivoted levers CC, extending along close to the end walls of the car, and
again pivoted to the upper ends of vertical swinging levers CC, the lower
ends of which move upon pivot pins or bolts c c, carried by the main frame of
the car, the same being also in connection with pivoted levers C2 C³, the latter of
which is hung from a rigid pin or pivot upon the tilting box, as shown in Figure 3
and in dotted lines in Figure 4.
C is a boxing attached to the lower side of the tilting box B, adapted to receive
the cross-head d of a short lever d', which is in turn pivoted to a cross-head e of a
piston rod e', carrying a piston e², working in the tilting-cylinder E. Said tilting-
cylinder is preferably vertical and carried below the main bed-plate A, although in
such manner that it will properly clear the car-truck. The cross-head e works in
suitable guides ff, attached vertically to a small frame F, mounted upon the bed-
plate, and this frame is slotted longitudinally, as seen at fl in Figures 2 and 4, so.as
to receive the journals of a roller G, against which one or more inclined sur-
faces of the cross-head e will impinge as the piston of the tilting-cylinder moves
upward, said roller being then forced outward, (its journals. moving in the slots) and
these latter have their outer ends connected with a three-sided frame H, surrounding
the frame F in such manner that that side of it which is parallel with the roller G. (but
t...

page_text: on the opposite side of cross-head e) will carry a locking bolt or pin h, which snaps into a
perforation in a swinging block A³, journalled in the frame A, and also extending
into a perforation in the locking-bar J, which passes through a vertical opening in
said swinging block, said locking-bar being free at its lower end but pivoted to
suitable lugs, affixed to the box B at or near the side which is opposite to the
discharge-door B¹. When the piston e² is at the upper end of its stroke or in the
position shown in Figure 4, the upper end of the short lever d¹ bears against
the bottom of the tilting box B, it having forced the latter into the position for
discharging, as shown in said Figure and the air pressure holds same up while the load
is being discharged, and the door B' is held sufficiently open to allow the load to
escape by means of the levers C C', which have been actuated by the levers. C³
through the levers C2, these also serving to subsequently draw the door back to a
closed position. Springs kk (or cords and weights) attached to the three-sided
frame H and to the main frame A serve to return said frame H to its first position
and throw the pin h into the perforation in the locking-bar J, and the air-pressure
being simultaneously withdrawn from the cylinder E, as will be hereinafter
explained, the box B will fall back by its own weight, its door being closed by the
levers CC, and the other parts return to their normal position, the cross-head e
being assisted to return by means of a spring e, attached thereto and to the cylinder.;
or any other point below."
I must now explain. that the compressed air is brought from the compressor (not.
shown) through two pipes K and 1, the connections of which between the cars are
flexible and arranged in any of the well-known methods, such as those in use with
air-brakes. The first of these pipes K enters the main cylinder M, which is arranged,
by preference, upon the main frame or bed-plate A, and the latter pipe L enters a
reserve cylinder N, placed in juxtaposition to the cylinder M, and a pipe m² (flexible,
if desired) connects these two cylinders together, as shown in Figure 2, it being
understood that the cylinder N will be always charged when the connection with the
air-pipe L is open, and another pipe (also marked Ĺ, as it is a continuation of that
formerly mentioned) leads out from the cylinder N at the port 1, (shown in detail in
Figure 9) and thence along to the next car. In this cylinder M there are two other
ports m m³, that marked m being fed by the pipe m², and this port connects with a.
passage-way O leading through a combined sliding valve and piston P, and the port m¹¨
opens into a pipe Q, which extends downward through the floor of the car and
enters one end of a larger pipe or chamber Q¹, connected to the tilting-cylinder E
by a short pipe g near the lower end of said cylinder, thus acting to supply the same
with compressed air for raising the piston e², as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the continua-
tion pipe K (to the next car) being fed from the port k¹, which is opened by the.
motion of the sliding valve, as shown clearly in Figure 5. The sliding valve Pis
returned to its normal position when the air-pressure is withdrawn by a spring P
contained in the end of the cylinder M, and acting upon a short bar P, connected to
the valve.
m³ and m are passages in the valve for connecting with the usual waste-ports 1.2
and ports and m¹.
The above-described arrangement illustrates my method of tilting a number of cars
connected together by the main air-pipes K and I.
In order to permit any one of the cars being emptied at any particular point
without affecting the others in the train, I supply each car with an extra or individual
cylinder R, having a sliding piston-valve R', (of somewhat similar construction to P,):
as shown in Figure 9, and the compressed air is supplied to this by a pipe N1, leading
from the reserve cylinder or reservoir N, the air entering by a port r and passing
through a passage in the sliding piston-valve R and out through a port to a
pipe R2; leading down to the pipe or chamber Q¹, and from thence finding its
way into the tilting-cylinder E in the same manner as that described by the,
pipe Qin connection with the cylinder M.. The piston or valve R' is not operated by
the air from the main compressor; but is thrown froin the position shown in
Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 9. by a hand-lever: S, extending to the side of the

page_text: car, and pivoted at s, at its inner end, to a frame T, mounted on the bed-plate A, this
lover being also pivoted to the end of a bar or rod t, projecting from the piston-
valve R out through one end of the cylinder R, and this lever S is adapted to be
locked, and thus retain the piston-valve R' in the position shown in Figure 9, with
its ports open, (and in connection with the pipes N¹ and R²,) by passing along and
into a notch in a pivoted catch-bar T', extending alongside of the frame T. The
unlocking is effected by depressing the outer end of said catch-bar by a cross-lever T³,
suitably pivoted, and also extending within reach of the operator's hand, as shown in
Figure 9.
The other end of the piston-valve R¹ has a bar 3 (similar to t) extending
outward from the cylinder R into a spring-casing attached to the end of such
cylinder, the spring R³ in which serves to return the piston-valve R' to its first
position, (or that shown in Figure 2,) and thus close the ports and ² directly the
hand-lever S is released from the locking-bar T', thus shutting off the air from the
pipe R2 and tilting cylinder E and allowing the tilting box B to resume its horizontal
position, in the same manner as before described.
is the usual waste-port in the valve R¹ and its cylinder, which will allow the
air to escape from the pipe N¹ when this part of the apparatus is put out of operation,
as just described.
In Figure 10 I illustrate as a modification an arrangement whereby I do away
with the main cylinder M and use the so-called "extra cylinder" R, for the
of simultaneously tilting all of the cars in a train, as well as any single car when
purpose
desired, and this will be well understood when it is remembered that there will be a
complete system of cocks at the proper points throughout the different air-pipes.
In this case, supposing there is a cock at X in the main air-pipe K, and this is
open, the air passes into the end of the cylinder R and forces back the sliding
valve R¹ to the position shown until the ports ² ² are in connection with the
pipes N¹ (leading from the reserve cylinder N) and R2, (going to the tilting-
cylinder E,) and the operation of the tilting-cylinder proceeds as before described,
the continuation pipe K, leading to the next car, being also supplied in the same
manner from the port k¹, and the continuation pipe L leading as before from the
reservoir to the next car. By closing the cock ✗, I cut off the air from the pipe K
and rely upon that coming from the reserve cylinder N to tilt that particular car,
using of course the hand-lever S, before described, for throwing back the valve R¹,
and the spring R³ returns said valve and thus closes the ports and cuts off the air
from the pipe R2 and the tilting-cylinder.
The system of cocks before alluded to will be employed in any well-known manner
and according to the judgment of the builder, and therefore it is not necessary that
I should illustrate or explain their arrangement; and, furthermore, I do not limit
myself to the various details of construction, nor to the general plan of compressed-
air pipes, cylinders, and connections shown, as these may be varied without departing
from the essential principles of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A dumping car consisting of a main frame, and a tilting body or box journaled
therein, a compressed air-cylinder (carried by said frame) the piston of which causes
said body or box to tilt, and an automatic catch for locking the latter in position,
substantially as set forth and described.
2. In a dumping-car, the combination, with a main frame or platform, and a
tilting box journalled therein, of a compressed-air cylinder the piston of which
causes the box to tilt, a second cylinder having a sliding valve operated from an
ordinary compressor and adapted to automatically supply the tilting-cylinder
when the air-pressure is put on, and suitable connecting-pipes, substantially as
described.
3. In a dumping-car, the combination, with a main frame or platform, and a tilting

page_text: box journaled therein, of a compressed-air cylinder the piston of which causes the
box to tilt, a second cylinder having a sliding valve and a reservoir, said second
cylinder and reservoir being supplied with air from an ordinary compressor, a con-
nection between the tilting-cylinder and the second cylinder, and also between the
said second cylinder and the reservoir and pipes leading to a second car, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a dumping-car, the combination, with main frame or platform and a tilting
box journaled therein, of a compressed-air cylinder, the piston of which causes the
box to tilt, a cylinder having a sliding valve and a reservoir, both supplied with air
from an ordinary compressor, pipes connecting same together and with the tilting-
cylinder, and an extra cylinder having a sliding valve, a handle for moving same in
one direction and a spring for retaining it, said extra cylinder being also connected
to the tilting-cylinder, whereby one particular car may be dumped, substantially as
described.
5. In a dumping-car, the combination with the frame and tilting box journaled
therein, of the compressed-air cylinder E, having piston e², rod e¹, and cross-head e,
and lever d¹, pivoted to said cross-head and adapted to operate the tilting box,
substantially as described.
6. The combination, with the frame and tilting box and with the tilting-cylinder,
and means whereby said box is caused to tilt by the operation of its piston, of the
frame H, carrying a locking-pin h, said frame and pin being drawn backward by
the upward movement of the piston, the locking-bar J, pivoted to the box, and a
spring for causing said locking-pin to engage with said locking-bar, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
7. The combination, with the frame A, box B, and tilting-cylinder E, the piston-rod
of which has cross-head e, having inclines e³, of the frame H, having locking-pin h
and roller G, impinged upon by said inclines so as to force back said frame and pin,
springs k, and the locking-bar J, all arranged and operated substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
8. The combination, with the frame A, of the tilting box B, having swinging
door B¹, and a system of levers connected to said door and to the frame and box
to operate said door when the box is tilted, substantially as shown and described.
9. The combination, with the cylinder M, having an air-pipe connected thereto,
and having ports k¹, m and m', and waste-ports 12, of the sliding piston-valve P,
having passage O, and waste-openings m³ and m, and a spring for moving said
piston-valve in one direction, the reservoir n, pipes L and m³, the tilting-cylinder,
the piston therein, and the tilting box, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.