Patent ID: 7832340

Claim:
A hopper railcar comprising: A plurality of hopper sections spaced along a center sill of the railcar, wherein each hopper section has a pair of hopper doors positioned on opposites sides of the center sill, wherein the hopper doors pivot between an open and closed position; and A plurality of automatic railroad hopper door actuating mechanisms, each mechanism including a single actuating piston/cylinder associated with at least one pair of hopper doors, each mechanism including: i) a frame mounted to the center sill, ii) said actuating piston/cylinder rotationally mounted to the frame and configured to rotate about a rotational axis that is substantially perpendicular to the center sill, iii) a cylinder lever rotationally mounted to the frame, the cylinder lever coupled to and rotated by the piston/cylinder and configured to rotate about a rotational axis that is substantially perpendicular to the center sill, and iv) a door lever extending between the cylinder lever and the hopper doors for opening and closing the doors through actuation of the piston/cylinder.