Railway hopper car door latch

In an outlet gate assembly for a hopper car, the combination comprising a frame horizontally positioned at the bottom of the hopper, a door plate slidable therein between a closed position and an open discharging position, a pair of stationary racks secured to the frame each having a series of teeth and extending parallel to one another cantilever-fashion from one side of the frame, the racks being spaced to occupy positions generally aligned with the respective ends of the door, a pair of main brackets secured to the edge of the door plate adjacent the inner sides of the respective racks, an operating shaft journalled in the brackets and having pinions rigidly secured thereto engaging the teeth in the racks, the operating shaft having a turning-tool connection at its respective ends for rotating the shaft so that the pinions walk along the racks for sliding of the door plate, a latch shaft having means on the door plate for journalling the same below the level of the racks and extending parallel to and below the level of the operating shaft, the latch shaft having a pair of operating handles secured thereto in radial relation extending angularly upward above the level of the racks and extending axially outwardly to overlie the respective racks in a reference position, said latch shaft having secured to its respective outer ends in generally horizontally extending position a pair of latches in the form of plates having upwardly hooked end portions, and means for biasing the latches upwardly toward latching position, the latches being spaced to underlie the respective racks so that when the door plate is in motion the latches ride on the underside of the racks and so that when the door plate is closed the hooked end portions of the latches latchingly engage the ends of both of the racks accompanied by rocking of the latch shaft and the handles thereon to reference position indicating that the door plate is both closed and latched.

In an outlet gate assembly for a hopper car, the combination comprising a frame horizontally positioned at the bottom of the hopper, a door plate assembly including door plate slidable therein between a closed position and an open discharging position, a pair of rack members each having a series of teeth and extending parallel to one another cantilever-fashion from one side of the frame, the door plate assembly including a set of main brackets secured to the edge of the door plate adjacent the inner sides of the respective rack members together with an operating shaft journalled in the brackets and having pinions rigidly secured thereto engaging the teeth in the rack members, the operating shaft having a turning-tool connection for rotating the shaft so that the pinions walk along the rack members for sliding of the door plate, the door plate assembly further including a latch shaft having means on the door plate for journalling the same and extending parallel to and along the operating shaft, the latch shaft having at least one operating handle secured thereto in radial relation extending outwardly for convenient access and having a reference position, said latch shaft having secured to at least one end in a radially extending position alined with the associated rack member a latch having a hooked end portion so that when the door plate is closed the hooked end portion of the latch engages the end of the associated rack member, accompanied by rocking of the latch shaft and the handle thereon to reference position indicating that the door plate is both closed and latched, the rack member being spaced inwardly from the ends of the frame and substantially within the lateral dimension of the door plate to support the door plate as it is moved between the closed and open positions, the latch shaft being positioned to ride captive under the rack members thereby to hold the entire door plate assembly captive over the range of sliding movement of the door plate.