Automated Hatch System for Hopper Railcars
OwnerTrevor LOW, Uwe HOMMinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated hatch system tor a hopper railcar having a central longitudinal trough with coaming, having a unitary hatch cover; a plurality of guide rail, assemblies connecting one, side of the top of the railcar perpendicular to and adjacent a corresponding longitudinal edge of the coaming to the hatch, cover, wherein one guide rail assembly is positioned at each end of the trough and one or, more guide rail assemblies, are evenly spaced between the outermost guide rail assemblies; a cable network connecting the guide rail assemblies to the hatch and external coaming of the trough; and means for activating the cable network, to open and close, the hatch and to align the opposing ends of the hatch cover during opening and closing.
Claims5
An automated hatch system for a hopper railcar having a central longitudinal trough with coaming, the system comprising:
- a. a unitary hatch cover;
- b. a plurality of guide rail assemblies connecting one side of the top of the railcar perpendicular to and adjacent a corresponding longitudinal edge of the coaming to the hatch cover, wherein one guide rail assembly is positioned at each end of the trough and one or more guide rail assemblies are evenly spaced between the outermost guide rail assemblies;
- c. a cable network connecting the guide rail assemblies to the hatch and external coaming of the trough;
- and
- d. means for activating the cable network to open and close the hatch and to align the opposing ends of the hatch cover during opening and closing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.