# US 2014/0360401 A1 · System and Method for Powered Railcar Doors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0360401 A1 - Document ID: US20140360401A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/257,506 - Filed: 2014-04-21 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-17 - Assignees: Trinity Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Trinity Industries, Inc. - Inventors: George S. Creighton; Aubra D. McKisic - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360401A1 ## CPC - B61D 39/006: {Opening and closing means} - B61D 7/00: Hopper cars (flat bottomed cars convertible into hoppers B61D3/06) - B61D 39/001: {Tiltable roofs} - E05F 15/53: for swinging wings - E05Y 2900/51: for railway cars or mass transit vehicles - Y02T 30/00: Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance - B61D: BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES (vehicles in general B60; adaptation of vehicles to special systems B61B; underframes B61F) - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Systems and methods for powered rail car doors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a first door assembly operable to at least partially cover an opening of a rail car. The system also includes an actuator. A first common linkage is coupled to the actuator and is operable to reciprocally move in a longitudinal direction relative to the actuator. In particular embodiments, a first secondary linkage is coupled to the first common linkage and is coupled to an exterior surface of the first door assembly, wherein the first secondary linkage cooperates with the first common linkage to move the first door assembly between an open position and a closed position over the top hatch of the rail car. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a first door assembly operable to at least partially cover a top hatch of a rail car; an actuator; a first common linkage coupled to the actuator and operable to reciprocally move in a longitudinal direction relative to the actuator; and a first secondary linkage coupled to the first common linkage and coupled to an exterior surface of the first door assembly, wherein the first secondary linkage cooperates with the first common linkage to move the first door assembly between an open position and a closed position over the top hatch of the rail car. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first door assembly is coupled to the rail car by one or more hinges, and wherein the actuator is operable to cooperate with the first common linkage and the first secondary linkage to move the first door assembly between an open position and a closed position over the top hatch of the rail car by reciprocating the first common linkage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; and a rod extending from a piston located inside the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the piston is operable to reciprocally move the rod; and wherein the first common linkage is connected to the rod. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first secondary linkage is operable to rotate in three dimensions in response to the reciprocal movement of the common linkage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first secondary link is coupled to the first door assembly by a joint that permits three dimensions of movement and wherein the first secondary link is coupled to the first common linkage by a joint that permits three dimensions of movement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a second common linkage operable to reciprocally move in a longitudinal direction relative to the actuator; a second secondary linkage coupled to the second common linkage; and wherein the second common linkage and the first common linkage are coupled to the actuator by a connecting bar. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the first common linkage and second common linkage are generally disposed parallel to each other and proximate to the top hatch of the rail car. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the second secondary linkage is coupled to a second door assembly and wherein the first door assembly and the second door assembly form a lip seal when disposed in a closed position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the second secondary linkage is coupled to a second door assembly and wherein the first door assembly and the second door assembly form an overlap seal when disposed in a closed position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a motor operable to supply hydraulic pressure to the actuator, wherein the motor is powered by air pressure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising: an auxiliary reservoir coupled to a brake reservoir, wherein the auxiliary reservoir accumulates air by bleeding the air from the brake reservoir; and wherein the air pressure is supplied to the motor by the auxiliary reservoir. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the air pressure is supplied to the motor by a wayside air supply. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the air pressure is supplied to the motor by a train line coupled to a brake reservoir. ### Claim 14 A method, comprising: at least partially covering a top hatch of a rail car with a first door assembly; reciprocally moving a first common linkage coupled to an actuator in a longitudinal direction relative to the actuator; and coupling a first secondary linkage to the first common linkage and to an exterior surface of the first door assembly, wherein the first secondary linkage cooperates with the first common linkage to move the first door assembly between an open position and a closed position over the top hatch of the rail car. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: coupling the first door assembly to the rail car by one or more hinges; and moving the first door assembly between an open position and a closed position with the actuator by reciprocating the first common linkage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the actuator comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; and a rod extending from a piston located inside the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the piston is operable to reciprocally move the rod; and wherein reciprocally moving a first common linkage coupled to an actuator comprises reciprocally moving a first common linkage coupled to the rod. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein coupling the first secondary linkage comprises coupling the first secondary linkage such that the first secondary linkage is able to rotate in three dimensions in response to the reciprocal movement of the common linkage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein coupling the first secondary linkage comprises coupling the first secondary linkage to the first door assembly with a joint that permits three dimensions of movement and coupling the first secondary link to the first common linkage with a joint that permits three dimensions of movement. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: reciprocally moving a second common linkage in a longitudinal direction relative to the railcar; coupling a second secondary linkage to the second common linkage; and coupling the second common linkage and the first common linkage to the actuator with a connecting bar. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising generally disposing the first common linkage and second common linkage in parallel to each other and proximate to the top hatch of the rail car. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising coupling the secondary linkage to a second door assembly and wherein the first door assembly and the second door assembly form a lip seal when disposed in a closed position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising coupling the secondary linkage to a second door assembly and wherein the first door assembly and the second door assembly form an overlap seal when disposed in a closed position. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising powering the actuator using hydraulic pressure supplied by a motor, wherein the motor is powered by air pressure. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: coupling an auxiliary reservoir to a brake reservoir; accumulating air in the auxiliary reservoir by bleeding air from the brake reservoir; and wherein the motor is powered by air pressure supplied by the auxiliary reservoir. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the motor is powered by air pressure supplied by a wayside air supply. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the motor is powered by air pressure supplied by a train line coupled to a brake reservoir. ### Claim 27 A system, comprising: a first door assembly operable to at least partially cover a top hatch of a rail car; an actuator; a first common linkage coupled to the actuator and operable to rotate about a longitudinal axis; a first secondary linkage coupled to the first common linkage and coupled to an exterior surface of the first door assembly; and wherein the actuator is operable to cooperate with the first common linkage and the second common linkage to move the first door assembly between a closed position and an open position over the top hatch of the rail car by rotating the first common linkage about a longitudinal axis of the first common linkage. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the first door assembly is coupled to the rail car by one or more hinges. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, further comprising a bracket, wherein the first secondary linkage is coupled to the first common linkage with the bracket. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the actuator comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; and a rod extending from a piston located inside the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the piston is operable to reciprocally move the rod; and wherein the rod is coupled to the bracket whereby reciprocal movement of the rod rotates the first common linkage. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the first secondary linkage is operable to move the first door assembly in response to rotational movement of the first common linkage. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, further comprising a second secondary linkage coupled to the first common linkage and operable to cooperate with the first secondary linkage to move the first door assembly in response to rotational movement of the first common linkage. ### Claim 33 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, further comprising a motor operable to supply hydraulic pressure to the actuator, wherein the motor is powered by air pressure. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The system of claim 33, further comprising: an auxiliary reservoir coupled to a brake reservoir, wherein the auxiliary reservoir accumulates air by bleeding the air from the brake reservoir; and wherein air pressure is supplied to the motor by the auxiliary reservoir. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The system of claim 33, wherein air pressure is supplied to the motor by a wayside air supply. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The system of claim 33, wherein air pressure is supplied to the motor by a train line coupled to a brake reservoir. ### Claim 37 A system comprising: a door assembly operable to at least partially cover an opening of a rail car; and a hydraulic motor operable to move the door assembly between a first open position and a second closed position, wherein the hydraulic motor is powered by air pressure. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the opening comprises a hatch located on a top surface of the rail car. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the opening comprises a discharge opening located on a bottom surface of a rail car.