Improvements in Cars or Vehicles, especially Applicable for Conveying Grain.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cars or Vehicles, especially Applicable for
Conveying Grain.
I, MILLARD FILLMORE BLAKE, of Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to railway or other cars or vehicles for the transport of
substances such as grain, which can be readily unloaded by opening the floor of
the car or vehicle in such way that the substance can pour out of its own accord:
the object being to provide a car of this class in which all the grain or the like is
readily removed without leaving any in the rectangular corners of the cars, and,
further, to provide means for protecting the freight from the weather.
By this invention, the ends of the car or vehicle have boards which are hinged
thereto in such manner that they slope downwards towards the centre of the car,
and are covered by a sheet of textile or flexible material which is attached to the
ends of the car, above the sloping boards. The boards are for the purpose of
directing the grain or the like towards the centre of the car; and the fabric is
intended to rest upon the grain or the like to protect it from the weather and also
to press it down the slope.
The floor of the car is hinged on the axle in such a way that it can be tipped
so that its meeting edges-midway the length of the car-separate to permit the
exit of the grain, and to form a continuation of the sloping boards to form a chute.
Suitable devices, such as bolts on the underside of the car floor, operated by ievers,
serve to retain the floor horizontal when loaded.
Dated this 17th day of May 1898.
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Cars or Vehicles, especially Applicable for
Conveying Grain.
I, MILLARD FILLMORE BLAKE, of Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Inventor,
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 follow-
ing statement:-
My invention has relation to dumping cars; and the object is to provide a car
which may be used either as an ordinary box-car, an ordnary dumping car, or as a
grain dumining car

page_text: With this object in view the invention consists of certain features of construc-
tion and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view
taken through the body of the car and shewing the position of the grain doors
and the end inclines and flaps are in when the car is used for the transportation
of grain. Fig. 2 is a similar view shewing the doors and inclines elevated to adapt
the car for transportation of any character of freight; and Fig. 3 is a cross sectional
view through one of the sides of the car, taken through the doorway.
In said drawings 1 denotes the body of a box-car. 2 denotes the hinged floor,
and 3 the mechanism for lowering the sections of the flooring to discharge the car
of its contents. These parts may be of any well-known construction.
A represents the grain doors, one being in each side of the car body near each
end.
-
These doors have eyes B, which are hung upon vertical hanger rods C, secured to
the inner sides of the car body at the edge of the doorway, so that when not in
use the doors may be elevated and swung back and held in this position out of the
way by means of hooks D, engaging pins d. The lower edge of each door is pro-
vided with a flexible strip F, which, when the door is closed, lies upon the bottom
of the floor and prevents the escape of grain between the sill and the lower edge.
of the door.
At each end of the car is an incline G, which extends downwardly and has its
lower edge in close proximity to the door sill to feed the grain close up to the
doorway through which it is to be removed. The upper ends of these inclines are
provided with eyes H, which are hung upon transverse rods E, secured at each end
of the car-body, so that when the car is not in use for transporting grain these
inclines may be swung up and secured by hooks F, thus enlarging the capacity
of the car.
Each incline G has secured above its upper edge to the end of the car a stiff
flap, preferably made of rubber and fabric, and when the car is filled with grain
these flaps K lie upon the grain, and, while incidentally protecting the same from
dampness from the roof at the ends of the cars, have for their main object the pres-
sing of the grain downward, so that when it is removed either through the doors
of the car or through the hinged bottom none will stick or accumulate upon the
inclines thus enabling a car to be completely emptied of its contents.
From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood
without requiring further explanation.
A car built on these lines will answer as an ordinary box-car, an ordinary dump-
ing car for carrying coal, stone etc., or as a grain-car, and is very efficient in either
of these three uses named.
Although I have specifically described the construction and relative arrangement
of the several elements of my invention I do not desire to be confined to the same,
as such changes or modifications may be made as clearly fall within the scope of
my invention without diparting from the spirit thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
(1). In a dumping-car, the combination with inclines arranged at the ends of
the car, of stiff flaps secured above the upper edges of the inclines and adapted to
lie over the top surface of the grain and to be folded up when the inclines are
elevated, substantially as set forth.
(2). In a dumping-car, the combination with inclines hinged to the ends of the
car, of stiff flaps secured to the ends of the car above the upper edges of the inclines,
and means for holding the inclines raised, substantially as set forth.
(3). In a car, the combination with inclines at the end of the car and flaps secured

page_text: above the inclines and adapted to lay upon the grain contained in the car to protect
the same from inclemencies of the weather and force it off the inclines when the
car is being unloaded, substantially as set forth.
Datel
11 1
1000
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.