Patent ID: 6955126

Claim:
A railroad hopper car having longitudinal doors for closing the hoppers, comprising: a body having a first end and a second end; at least one hopper along the underside of said body; a plurality of doors, each having a first end and a second end, situated in a longitudinal direction to said body for opening and closing said hopper, said doors rotatable between a first closed position and a second open position; a power source having an actuating shaft movable from a first position where said doors are closed to a second position where said doors are open; a first operating shaft, coupled to said power source and mounted for rotation at said first end of said body; a second operating shaft, mounted for rotation at said second end of said body; an actuating beam, coupled to said first operating shaft at said first end and coupled to said second operating shaft at said second end; a first actuating member rotatably coupled to said first end of the body; a second actuating member rotatably coupled to said second end of the body; a first set of door supports located at said first end, with one end of each support coupled to a first end of a longitudinal door and the other end coupled for rotation to said first actuating member; a second set of door supports located at said second end with one end of each support coupled to a second end of a longitudinal door and the other end coupled for rotation to said second actuating member; wherein as said power source is activated from said first closed position to said second open position, said operating shafts rotate simultaneously such that said first and second actuating members cause said door supports of each set to rotate in opposite directions, shifting said doors from said first closed position to said second open position.