Vacuum relief system for tarpaulin covered hopper trailers
AssigneeTitan Trailer Corporation
InventorMorrison Kai Norton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elongated hollow tube extending between the forward and after ends of a hopper trailer serves as a ridge pole for a protective tarpaulin covering a commodity, such as rice or wheat, forming the trailer's cargo. Conduits connected to the ends of the tube extend downwardly below the margin of the tarpaulin so as to conduct atmospheric air into the tube. From the tube the air discharges downwardly through an opening in the tube vertically above the hopper door and thereby equalizes the air pressures on both sides of the tarpaulin as the commodity is withdrawn from the hopper and tends to form a "vacuum" beneath the tarpaulin.
Claims10
Vacuum relief system for hopper trailer having opposing end walls and opposing side walls defining a horizontal upper rim, a bottom including a cargo discharge door, and a tarpaulin covering the trailer hopper and extending around the upper rim in substantially air tight relation thereto, said system comprising:
- a. an elongated hollow tube;
- b. means for mounting said tube on the opposing end walls of the hopper at an elevation above the level of the upper rim, said tube extending the entire distance between the end walls and being located below and in supporting relation to the tarpaulin to elevate the same above the level of the upper rim;
- c. orifice means mounted on the hopper and connected to said tube for establishing communication between the atmosphere and said tube;
- and,
- d. nozzle means on said tube for venting atmospheric air from said tube to a location below the tarpaulin, said tube being effective to conduct atmospheric air from said orifice means to a space between the tarpaulin and the subjacent contents of the hopper to equalize the air pressures on both sides of the tarpaulin as the contents of the hopper are withdrawn through the cargo discharge door.
Vacuum relief system for tarpaulin covered hopper trailer having cargo-confining side, forward and after end walls providing a horizontal upper rim and floor walls defining a bottom opening selectively covered and uncovered by a hopper discharge door, said system comprising:
- a. an elongated hollow tube;
- b. means for mounting said tube on said trailer with at least a portion of said tube overlying the trailer hopper in a position to underlie and support a tarpaulin extending around the upper rim of said hopper in substantially air tight relation and covering the hopper cargo, said tube mounting means including support members mounted on the forward and after end walls and lying in a median vertical longitudinal plane extending through said hopper,
- said support members including top portions
- projecting above the level of the upper rim,
- said tube being mounted on said top
- portions and extending therebetween
- to provide a central ridge pole capable
- of supporting the longitudinally central
- portion of the tarpaulin at an elevation
- above the level of the upper rim;
- c. orifice means mounted on said hopper and connected to said tube for establishing communication between the atmosphere and said tube;
- and,
- d. means located on said tube for venting air from said tube to a location below the tarpualin, said tube being capable of conducting atmospheric air from said orifice means to a space between the tarpaulin and the subjacent contents of said hopper to equalize the air pressure on both sides of the tarpaulin as the contents are withdrawn from said hopper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.