Vented hatch coaming
AssigneeThrall Car Manufacturing Company
InventorRichard B. Shaddle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vented hatch coaming for a covered hopper car permits unloading without opening the hatch cover. The vented hatch includes an opening in the coaming for the passage of air. Preferably, a housing is positioned adjacent the ring opening to exclude contaminants and, where extraordinary sanitation is required, a filter element.
Claims20
In a covered hopper car, a vented hatch assembly comprising:
- a hatch coaming;
- one or more openings in the side of the coaming for enabling the passage of air into the interior of the hopper car at sufficient flow rates to permit unloading of the car without opening any hatch covers;
- a housing positioned external to the coaming opening and in communication therewith, wherein the housing defines at least one opening for the passage of air into the housing;
- and
- a filter element disposed such that air passing through the housing opening into the housing passes through the filter and through the coaming opening into the interior of the hopper car.
In a covered hopper car, a filter element for use in a vented hatch assembly including a coaming, one or more covers, an opening in the periphery of the coaming for enabling the passage of air into the interior of the hopper car, and a housing having an opening, positioned external to the opening and adjacent thereto, the filter element comprising:
- first and second pleated sections;
- and
- a throat element having an opening for contacting and sealing against the coaming at the opening, disposed between the first and second pleated sections, the interior of the throat element defining an air passage from the opening to the first and second pleated sections.
In a covered hopper car, a vented hatch assembly comprising:
- a coaming disposed around a hatch;
- an opening in the periphery of the coaming for enabling the passage of air into the interior of the hopper car at flow rates sufficient to permit unloading without opening any hatch covers;
- and
- means adjacent the opening for restricting inflow of contaminants.
In a covered hopper car having outlets to permit unloading of the car and having at least one hatch assembly comprising a hatch coaming and a hatch cover, the improvement comprising a vent which includes a side opening through said hatch coaming which permits sufficient inflow of air to permit unloading of said car without increasing vacuum beyond acceptable levels during unloading.
A filter element configured to fit within a vented hatch assembly in a covered hopper car, said filter element permitting sufficient inflow of air to permit unloading of the car with conventional vacuum unloading equipment without increasing vacuum beyond acceptable levels during unloading.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.