Vented hatch cover

A vented hatch cover assembly for covering a hatch having an opening in a compartment defined by a coaming, said assembly comprising:

• a bottom member covering the hatch and having means for forming a seal with said coaming and at least one opening for allowing air to enter said compartment through said bottom member,
• a top member spanning said bottom member and engageable with said bottom member in spaced apart relation therewith,
• said top member being peripherally larger than said bottom member to define a downwardly facing peripheral opening with said bottom member,
• at least one of said top and bottom members having protrusion means extending toward the other of said members and spaced therefrom for defining a plurality of air passageways between said top and bottom members which allows air to be drawn into the compartment from the atmosphere, means for securing said top member to said bottom member, and means for securing said cover assembly to said hatch,
• whereby the compartment is vented without opening the hatch.

A vented hatch cover for covering a circular hatch opening of a compartment defined by an annular coaming, said vented hatch cover comprising:

• a first member including a substantially circular first body, an annular gasket disposed adjacent to the first body to form a seal with the coaming, a plurality of inner and outer first baffle members extending from the first body, and at least one opening in the first body which allows air to enter the compartment,
• a second member including a substantially circular second body having a slightly larger circumference than the first body, a plurality of inner and outer second baffle members extending from the second body, and means for spacing said first body from said second body,
• said first baffle members and said second baffle members coacting to define a plurality of circuitous air passageways between the first and second members which facilitate the flow of air into and out of the compartment while inhibiting contaminants from entering the compartment,
• whereby the arrangement of the baffles tends to alter the speed of the air traveling between the first and second members to prevent contaminants and moisture from entering the compartment.

In a railroad hopper car including a compartment for storing and transporting materials, an outlet in said compartment for unloading said materials from said compartment, and a hatch in said compartment for loading said materials into said compartment, said hatch opening defined by a coaming, the improvement being in vented hatch cover means for closing said opening and for providing a plurality of air passageways for air to enter said compartment during unloading of said materials, said vented hatch cover means comprising

• a bottom member,
• a top member spaced from said bottom member and spanning said bottom member,
• said top member being peripherally larger than said bottom member to define a downwardly facing peripheral opening with said bottom member,
• said bottom and top member having coacting protrusion means extending toward the other of said members and spaced therefrom for defining a plurality of circuitous air passageways between said bottom and top members which allow air to be drawn into the compartment while preventing moisture and other contaminants from entering the compartment.

A hatch cover lock mechanism for locking a hatch cover in pressure sealed relation to a hatch of a compartment on a railroad hopper car which comprises:

• a locking arm centrally connected to the hatch cover,
• said arm having a hinge end extending from one side of the cover and a latch end extending from the other side of the cover, said latch end including an upwardly extending locking slot,
• a hinge connected to said hinge end of the arm and pivotally connected to the car so that the cover may be pivoted between open and closed positions,
• a latch assembly at the latch end of the arm removably connectable to the arm and pivotally connected to the car to facilitate connecting/disconnecting of the assembly to the arm,
• said latch assembly including a length adjusting link for adjusting the locked distance between the arm and the car, said link including a bolt adjustably received in a hub or shaft and pivotally connected to the car, whereby rotation of the hub approximately 180 degrees relative to the bolt unlocks the hub and permits longitudinal movement of the hub,
• and an overcenter toggle lever connected to the link for removable engagement with the upwardly extending slot of said latch end of the arm rotatable between locking and release positions and for forcing the cover in pressure sealed relation to the hatch when in locked position.

A hatch cover lock mechanism for locking a hatch cover in pressure sealed relation to a hatch of a compartment on a railroad hopper car which comprises:

• a locking arm connected to the hatch cover,
• said arm having a hinge end extending from one side of the cover and a latch end extending from the other side of the cover, said latch end of said arm including an upwardly extending substantially unidirectional locking slot,
• a hinge connected to said hinge end of the arm and pivotally connected to the car so that the cover may be pivoted between open and closed positions,
• a latch assembly at the latch end of the arm pivotally connected to the car and removably connectable to the arm to facilitate connecting/disconnecting of the assembly to the arm,
• said latch assembly including link means for adjusting the locked distance between the arm and the car and including a bolt adjustably received in a hub or shaft and pivotally connected to the car, whereby rotation of the hub approximately 180 degrees relative to the bolt unlocks the hub and permits longitudinal movement of the hub,
• and an overcenter toggle lever connected to the link means for removable engagement with the upwardly extending slot of said latch end of the arm and rotatable between locking and release positions for forcing the cover in pressure sealed relation to the hatch when in locked position, said lever including a locking pin engaging the locking slot and coacting with the lever when the lever is rotated to said release position to allow the cover to only partially open until the latch assembly is rotated to allow the assembly to be swung away from the latch end of the arm, thereby preventing the cover from explosively opening when the compartment is under high pressure.

A hatch cover lock mechanism for locking a hatch cover in pressure sealed relation to a hatch of a compartment on a railroad hopper car which comprises:

• a locking arm connected to the hatch cover,
• said arm having a hinge end extending from one side of the cover and a latch end extending from the other side of the cover, said latch end of said arm including a substantially unidirectional locking slot extending outwardly therefrom, a hinge connected to said hinge end of the arm and pivotally connected to the car so that the cover may be pivoted between open and closed positions,
• a latch assembly at the latch end of the arm pivotally connected to the car and removably connectable to the arm to facilitate connecting/disconnecting the assembly to the arm for closing the cover in locked and sealed relation to the hatch and for freeing the latch assembly from the arm to allow the cover to fully open,
• said latch assembly including link means for adjusting the locked distance between the arm and the car,
• said link means pivotally mounted at one end to a shaft carried by the car and including a bolt adjustably received in a hub or shaft and pivotally connected to the car, whereby rotation of the hub approximately 180 degrees relative to the bolt unlocks the hub and permits longitudinal movement of the hub,
• an overcenter toggle lever pivotally mounted on a shaft carried at the other end of the link means,
• said lever including a locking pin engaging the locking slot of said arm and coacting with the lever to be in overcenter position relative to the axes of the shafts of the link means when the lever is swung into locked position against the cover so that upward pressure on the cover will tighten the engagement of the lever with the cover.

A vented hatch cover for covering a hatch opening of a compartment defined by a continuous coaming, said vented hatch cover comprising:

• a first member including a first body, a gasket disposed adjacent to the first body to form a seal with the coaming, a plurality of inner and outer first protrusions extending from the first body, and at least one opening in the first body which allows air to enter the compartment,
• a second member including a second body of similar but slightly larger outer configuration than said first body and spanning said first body, a plurality of inner and outer second protrusions extending from the second body toward said first body, and means on one of said bodies for spacing said bodies in spaced relation,
• said first protrusions and said second protrusions coacting with said bodies to define a plurality of circuitous air passageways between the first and second members which facilitate the flow of air into and out of the compartment while inhibiting contaminants from entering the compartment,
• whereby the arrangement of the protrusions tends to alter the speed of the air traveling between the first and second members to prevent contaminants and moisture from entering the compartment.

A vented hatch cover for covering a hatch opening of a compartment defined by a coaming, said vented hatch cover comprising:

• a first member having means for forming a seal with said coaming,
• a second member spanning said first member and being in supported spaced apart relation to said first member,
• at least one of said first and second members having means for defining a plurality of circuitous air passageways between said first and second members which allow air to be drawn into the compartment while preventing moisture and other contaminants from entering the compartment,
• wherein the first member includes a first substantially rigid body and first protrusions extending from said body, and the second member includes a second substantially rigid body having second protrusions extending therefrom and toward said first body, said first and second protrusions coacting with said bodies to define said plurality of air passageways, wherein the second member is substantially dome-shaped.

A vented hatch cover for covering a hatch opening of a compartment defined by a coaming, said vented hatch cover comprising:

• a first member having means for forming a seal with said coaming,
• a second member spanning said first member and being in supported spaced apart relation to said first member,
• at least one of said first and second members having means for defining a plurality of circuitous air passageways between said first and second members which allow air to be drawn into the compartment while preventing moisture and other contaminants from entering the compartment,
• wherein the first member includes a first substantially rigid body and first protrusions extending from said body, and the second member includes a second substantially rigid body having second protrusions extending therefrom and toward said first body, said first and second protrusions coacting with said bodies to define said plurality of air passageways,
• said cover further including filter means for trapping contaminants suspended in the air which flows through the vented hatch cover, and
• said filter means including a filter attached to the first body of the first member.

A vented hatch cover assembly for covering a hatch having an opening in a compartment defined by a coaming, said assembly comprising:

• a bottom member covering the hatch and having means for forming a seal with said coaming and at least one opening for allowing air to enter said compartment through said bottom member,
• a filter assembly attached to the bottom member adjacent to the at least one opening which prevents contaminants from entering the compartment,
• a top member spanning said bottom member and engageable with said bottom member in spaced apart relation therewith,
• at least one of said top and bottom members having protrusion means extending toward the other of said members and spaced therefrom for defining a plurality of air passageways between said top and bottom members which allows air to be drawn into the compartment from the atmosphere, means for securing said top member to said bottom member, and means for securing said cover assembly to said hatch,
• whereby the compartment is vented without opening the hatch.

A vented hatch cover assembly for covering a hatch having an opening in a compartment defined by a coaming, said assembly comprising:

• a bottom member covering the hatch and having means for forming a seal with said coaming and at least one opening for allowing air to enter said compartment through said bottom member,
• a top member spanning said bottom member and engageable with said bottom member in spaced apart relation therewith,
• at least one of said top and bottom members having protrusion means extending toward the other of said members and spaced therefrom for defining a plurality of air passageways between said top and bottom members which allows air to be drawn into the compartment from the atmosphere, means for securing said top member to said bottom member, and means for securing said cover assembly to said hatch,
• said means for securing said cover assembly to said hatch including a locking arm connected to the cover assembly and pivotally attached to one side of the hatch and releasably secured to the opposite side of the hatch by an adjustable locking assembly,
• whereby the compartment is vented without opening the hatch.

A vented hatch cover for covering the hatch opening of a compartment defined by a coaming, said vented hatch cover comprising:

• a first member having means for forming a seal with said coaming,
• a second member spanning said first member and being in supported spaced apart relation to said first member,
• at least one of said first and second members having means for defining a plurality of circuitous air passageways between said first and second members which allow air to be drawn into the compartment while preventing moisture and other contaminants from entering the compartment,
• said first member including a first substantially rigid body and first protrusions extending from said body thereof, and said second member including a substantially rigid body having second protrusions extending therefrom and toward first body, said first and second protrusions coacting with said bodies to define said plurality of air passageways,
• said first and second members being divided into multiple quadrants which define said circuitous air passageways,
• each quadrant including an opening in the first body of the first member which allows the air to enter the compartment,
• ridge means in each quadrant extending adjacent to said opening for preventing water on the first body of the first member from entering the compartment through the opening,
• said first member including inner and outer first protrusions arranged in each quadrant,
• said second member including inner and outer second protrusions arranged in each quadrant,
• said inner and outer first protrusions being substantially straight and arranged between the inner and outer second protrusions,
• and said inner and outer first protrusions each including an angled baffle member arranged between two substantially straight protrusions.