Patent ID: 7997210

Claim:
A system for simultaneously closing multiple hopper doors on a rail car positioned on a track, the system comprising: a tubular frame guide member fixed in position with respect to the rail car and extending generally parallel to the track adjacent the rail car and the hopper doors; a plurality of closer arm wing segments movably positioned on the tubular frame guide member, the wing segments rotationally and translationally operable around and along the tubular frame guide member to make contact with and close the hopper doors; a linkage assembly connecting the closer arm wing segments together and operable to transfer rotational and translational movement between the closer arm wing segments in concert, the linkage assembly comprising a plurality of coil springs movably positioned on the tubular frame guide member and extending between and fixed to the closer arm wing segments; a motion control segment movably positioned on the tubular frame guide member and connected to the linkage assembly and thereby to the plurality of closer arm wing segments and operable to direct the rotational and translational movement of the linkage assembly and the plurality of closer arm wing segments around and along the tubular frame guide member; a linear actuator connected to the motion control segment, linearly operable to direct the translational movement of the motion control segment and thereby of the linkage assembly and the plurality of closer arm wing segments; and a rotational actuator connected to the motion control segment, rotationally operable to direct the rotational movement of the motion control segment and thereby of the linkage assembly and the plurality of closer arm wing segments.