Rail car door closer
AssigneeMartin Marietta Materials Southwest, Ltd
InventorsDavid P. Marchiori, Melvin Gary Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rail car door closer is provided and includes a movable base having a rotatable member rotationally disposed thereon. The movable base is coupled to a drive system configured to translate the movable base along a rail or a track disposed adjacent a railroad track rail. A device is also provided to permit securement of the rotatable member in a substantially upright position. When the rotatable member is in the substantially upright position, it is positioned vertically to contact an open rail car door and, upon movement of the movable base to a position adjacent and beneath the open rail car door, the rotatable member contacts the open rail car door and subsequently moves the open rail car door in correspondence with a movement of the movable base.
Claims23
A rail car door closer, comprising:
- a movable base having a rotatable member rotationally disposed thereon, said movable base being coupled with a drive system configured to translate the movable base along one of a rail and a track disposed adjacent a railroad rail;
- and
- a means for securing said rotatable member in a substantially upright position,
- wherein, in said substantially upright position, said rotatable member is positioned vertically to contact an open rail car door, and
- wherein, upon movement of said movable base to a position adjacent and beneath said open rail car door, said rotatable member contacts said open rail car door and subsequently moves said open rail car door in correspondence with a movement of said movable base.
A rail car door closer, comprising:
- a movable base having a rotatable member rotationally disposed thereon, said movable base being coupled with a drive system configured to translate the movable base along one of a rail and a track disposed adjacent a railroad rail;
- and
- an actuating device adapted to rotate said rotatable member between a raised position and a lowered position;
- wherein, in said substantially upright position, said rotatable member is positioned vertically to contact an open rail car door, and
- wherein, upon movement of said movable base to a position adjacent and beneath said open rail car door, said rotatable member contacts said open rail car door and subsequently moves said open rail car door in correspondence with a movement of said movable base.
A method of closing an open rail car door of a rail car disposed on a railroad track, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a movable rail car door closing assembly comprising a rotating member along a rail disposed adjacent said railroad track and adjacent a first open rail car door;
- rotating said rotating member upwardly to confront said first open rail car door;
- and
- moving said movable rail car door closing assembly along said rail to force said rotating member in a closing direction of said first open rail car door and to contact and close said first open rail car door.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.