Patent ID: 7140303

Claim:
A lock assembly kit having components capable of being assembled to a railroad car gate assembly including a rigid frame defining a discharge opening and having a pair of generally parallel racks arranged on opposite sides of said discharge opening, a gate mounted on said frame for sliding movements longitudinally between open and closed positions and relative to said discharge opening, and a drive mechanism arranged in operable combination with said racks for moving said gate between the open and closed positions, said lock assembly kit comprising: a control shaft mounted for rotation about a fixed axis relative to said frame, with the fixed axis of said control shaft being disposed above an upper surface of said gate, and with said control shaft having operating handles radially extending from and secured to opposed ends thereof; a stop secured axially intermediate the opposed ends of said control shaft for rotation with said control shaft, with a portion of said stop extending into the path of travel of the gate when said stop is in a locked condition; and a spring biased latching mechanism arranged adjacent said control shaft, with said latching mechanism operably engaging and positively holding said stop in an unlocked condition, wherein said stop is removed from the path of travel of the gate, until after said gate has been moved a predetermined distance toward the open position; wherein said spring biased latching mechanism is located longitudinally beyond parameters of said ante at all positions of said gate.