CA1193141A - Automatic hopper car door opener - Google Patents
Automatic hopper car door openerInfo
- Publication number
- CA1193141A CA1193141A CA000469845A CA469845A CA1193141A CA 1193141 A CA1193141 A CA 1193141A CA 000469845 A CA000469845 A CA 000469845A CA 469845 A CA469845 A CA 469845A CA 1193141 A CA1193141 A CA 1193141A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- boom
- probe
- dumping apparatus
- frame
- rod
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61D—BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES
- B61D7/00—Hopper cars
- B61D7/14—Adaptations of hopper elements to railways
- B61D7/16—Closure elements for discharge openings
- B61D7/24—Opening or closing means
- B61D7/30—Opening or closing means controlled by means external to cars
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61D—BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES
- B61D7/00—Hopper cars
- B61D7/14—Adaptations of hopper elements to railways
- B61D7/16—Closure elements for discharge openings
- B61D7/24—Opening or closing means
- B61D7/28—Opening or closing means hydraulic or pneumatic
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Jib Cranes (AREA)
Abstract
A B S T R A C T
Dumping apparatus for dumping a hopper car while in motion provides a cart designed to travel on rails parallel to the main line, the cart has a boom extending along the cart, means for raising it about its low pivot point at one end and for advancing and rotating a probe which dumps the hopper car on insertion and rotation. The overall design provides a very low probe height required by the low location of the corresponding socket in the hopper car.
Dumping apparatus for dumping a hopper car while in motion provides a cart designed to travel on rails parallel to the main line, the cart has a boom extending along the cart, means for raising it about its low pivot point at one end and for advancing and rotating a probe which dumps the hopper car on insertion and rotation. The overall design provides a very low probe height required by the low location of the corresponding socket in the hopper car.
Description
~3~
This invention relates to a cart mounted apparatus for opening hopper cars.
Hopper cars form part of freight trains and carry bulk loads such as coal, grain or potash. Trains fre~uently consist of a large number of such hopper cars all carrying the same product. Such hoppex cars are conventionally dumped by a rotatable control rod actuated by the ;nsertion and rotation of a pxobe in a socket located in the side of a hopper car. It is very much more convenient ln dumping such cars to be able to do this without stopping the train, bu-t rather while allowing the -train to travel at a relatively slow speed over the dumping site.
To insert the probe and perform the dumping with the -train in motion requires the apparatus with which this invention is concerned~ The apparatus must take into account the fact that the probe sockets vary in height between different cars and that some sockets are located very close to the ground, the range of probe heights being commonly from 7 to 19 inches above the rails.
The invention provides a cart movable on rails parallel and beside the regular rails for the freight over a stretch of the regular railway track including that extent where the dumping is to take place. The cart carries an operator and a boom pivotted on the cart about an axis transverse with respect to the track. Moun-ted on the boom adjacent its free end is a probe with means for advancing and retracting in the direction of the hopper car (whereby the probe may be inserted in the socket o:E
the freight car) while the cart travels alongside, whereby means are provided for rotating the probe to perform the dumping action.
Means are provided to control the heigh-t of the boom.
Thus the operator of the cart will control the boom height and cart speed until -the probe is aligned with -the con-trol socket in the moving hopper car and will then insert and rotate the probe into and in the socket to dump the car.
One of the principal problems with a cart thus designed ~ 5~-~L~J
is the\very low position of the probe socket providing severe limitations upon the height of the apparatus on the cart for positioning the probe.
In order to achieve such low pxobe heiyht, the invention provides a cart having a chassis extending between forward and rearward sets of wheels. A boom is pivc~tally mounted adjacent one end of the chassis to pivot about an axis transverse with respect to the cart and the boom generally extends longitudin-ally along the cart over its permissible range of movement. The probe mounting mechanism is located adjacent the free end of the boom. Means are provided for raising and lowering the boom over a predetermined arc of movement which is designed to provide the range of height desired for the boom. Over the arc of movement the boom extends in a more horizontal than vertical direction and it will thus be appreciated that the use of a pivoted boom extending along the cart assists in maintaining the probe apparatus at a low height.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the low height for the probe may be achieved by providing that the chassis is raised at the two ends with the wheel mountings but depressed between the ends to provide a low frame on which the free end of the boom may rest providing a relatively low probe height since the probe is mounted near the outer end of the boom.
In a preferred aspect of the invention so far discussed the stresses e~erted through the probe on the boom are resisted by a reaction surface which extends upwardly from the platform over the arc of movement of boom to limit movement of the ~2--3~
boom toward and away from the location of the cars.rhe reaction surface is preferably a pathway for rollers mounted on the boom. These stresses exerted through the probe on the boom are caused by such matters as momentary tendencies of the hopper car to speed up or slow down the cart through the probe and forces between the probe and the railway car on insertion, withdrawal or operation of the probe.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the boom is pivotally mounted on one raised end of the cart and is curved to be convex upward, which has the effect of further lowering the probe since the outer end of the boom lies closer to the lowered frame in the lowest attitude of the boom.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the height control for the boom comprises a hydraulic cylinder and rod with one of the cylinder or rod attached to the chassis at a first transverse pivot axis near the lowered frame height at the same end of the cart as the boom pivot. The other of the cylinder or rod is connected to the boom at a second transverse pivot point so that the boom between pivot points, the chassis between pivot points and the cylinder and rod form three sides of a triangle with the cylinder and rod nearly horizontal in the lower orientation of the boom (but sloping slightly upward toward the boom) and extension of the cylinder and rod causing raising of the boom. The nearly horizontal orientation of the cylinder in the lower position of the boom (corresponding to the lower position of the probe) is of importance since with the low probe height required, this is felt the best way of arranging the hydraulic cylinder since there is not space to have its axis vertically disposed.
other ieatures and advantages of the invention are defined and described in the description of the preferred embodiment ~3~
which follows.
In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention :
Figure l is a perspective view of the inventive cart beside a hopper car, Figure 2 is a side view of a cart in accord with the invention from the opposite side to that from which the probe projects, Figure 3isa plan view of the cart, Figure 4 shows the probe actuating mechanism, Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the probe mounting, Figure 6 is a partially schematic view showing the application of the probe to the railway car, Figures 7 and 8 show the operation of the probe platform, Figure 9 is a purely schematic view to demonstrate the main operating features.
In the clescription of the specific embodiment Figure 9 may be used for schematic background. Figure 9 does not accurately portray the structural members but does demonstrate the scheme of operation.
In the drawings, Figure l shows a typical hopper car 11 on conventional railway tracks for conventional rolling stock. Hopper car ll has a socket 71 for each bay, the socket to be rotated by a tool to dump the bay of the car. Paralleling these and usually about 45" therefrom is a pair of rails 12 and 14 on which the cart in accord with the invention is locatedO The pair of rails 12 and 1~ must parallel the usual tracks over an e~tent which includes the desired dumping location for the hopper cars and will extend on each side thereof to allow the cart to increase speed ~33~
before and lose speed after performing the dumping operation.
The car comprises a chassis 10 extending between a forward pair of wheels 16 and a rearward pair of wheels 18 which ride on the rails 12 and 14. (Although the terms 'forward' and 'rearward' are applied to the cart, it will perform its function going either direction). The rails 12 and 14 are preferably regular railway rails. Although wheels 16 and 18 might be regular railway wheels it is preferred to use wheels having double flanges as shown. Such wheels give better resistance to the uneven stresses exerted by the regular car on the cart during the dumping operation.
The chassis 10 comprises raised end portions below which the wheel pairs are mounted and a lowered central portion designed to be located between the rails. In the preferred embodiment this desired form is embodied by spaced channels 26 and 26 extend the length of the chassis and are joined by channels 25, 34 and 27. The spacing and location of the channels 26 and 26 is such that they are within rails 12 and 14. The channels 26 and 26 are, as shown in Figure 2 provided with raised and extents 28 and 30 at opposed ends of the frame on which the wheels 16 and 18 are mounted on wheel mounts 32 and 37 extending downwardly from extents 28 and 30 respectively. The spaced channels 26 slope downwardly from each extent 28 and 30 to provide sloping ex-tents 29 and 31 integral with opposed lowered central framework extents 44 between the sloping portions. It wi]l be noted that the lowered central framework extents can assume a height lower than the top of the rails 12 and 14. This allows the low travel of the probe as hereinafter described. It will be noted that -the chassis rnay have a number, not shown, of additional cross pieces to improve -the rigidity.
~3~
Mounted at the upper ends of opposed sloping extents 31 are the pivotal mountings 32 for the boom 35 formed by twin members 37. As shown the boom 35 is formed by spaced arms 37 each pivotally mounted at a mounting 32 on a sloping extent 31. The twin arms 37 are connected to form a unitary boom by the attached platform 36. The boom extends from the mounts 32 toward the other end of the cart where the platform 36 is dimensioned to rest on the spaced central extents 44. As shown the members 37, (and hence the boom) are (is) shaped to be concave upward so that the free end of boom is now more nearly parallel to central extents 44 if the boom were straight between its pivoted and its free end.
The platform 36 mounts on its side, remote from pivots 32, the roller 47 mounted to rotate about an axis perpendicular to and preferably intersecting the axis 33 of pivots 32. At the end of the chassis remote from pivots 32, raised channel extents 28 support a platform 48. Mounted on the rearward edge of platform 48 are a pair of spaced plates 50 whose planes are vertical and parallel to the fore and aft axis of the cart.
Such plates, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3 are shaped and spaced to provide support for the roller 47 over its permissable arc of movement with the boom. Plates 50 thus provide support for the free end of the boom 35 against stresses tending to deflect it in either direction transverse to the cart.
The use of support means in the form of plates 50 for the outer end of the boom is important. The support plate 50 on the side of the boom remote from the rail car is particularly important since, as hereinafter described, the probe is used pressing on the rail car and the reaction pressure tends to de~lect the boom. ~ther stresses transmitted through the probe to the arm ~l93~
are due to the resistance of the probe to withdrawal from the rail car (tending to draw the boom to~ard the rail car) and stresses in both directions on the probe due to the tendency toward differing velocities of the rail car and cart (linked through the probe in the control socket), the resistance to these changes in velocity being transmitted through the probe. Thus the support surfaces 50 on both sides of the boom are important.
The attitude of the boom 37, is controlled by an hydraulic cylinder - rod combination. The hydraulic cylinder 100 is pivotally connected to bracket 104 at the centre on a cross beam 34 extending between channels sections 31 at the rearward ~nd of lowered central extents 44. The rod 106 of cylinder 100 is pivotally connected to bracket 105 on the rearward side of platform 36. The pivotal axes connecting the cylinder and rod are ransverse to the longitudinal axis of the cart. It will be seen, from observing the solid and dotted line positions of the cylinder 100, rod 106 and platform 36 in Figure 2, that the bracket 104, bracket 105 are geometrically arranged so that the cylinder - rod 100-106 form, with the extent from bracket 10~ to axis 33, and with the extent from bracket 105 to axis 33 a triangle wherein expansion and contraction of the side composed cylinder - rod 100-106 acts to raise and lower respectively the booms 37 and platform 36. The upwardly sloping attitude of the cylinder - rod 100-106 in the lowest (solid line Figure 2) position of the boom provides a suit-able orientation for the control forces required to control the attitude of the boom in the lower portion of its permissible arc of movement The force directions of -the cylinder - rod axis are of course more efficiently directed over the upper portion of the permissible arc of the boom. A vertical axis for the cylinder -rod combination would of course be more efficient use of the cylinder-3~
piston combination. However such vertical orientation is not available since there is not room for a vertically disposed piston and rod between the chassis members 4~, 44 and the booms 37 in its lowest position.
Mounted on the upper side of platform 36 two pairs guides 56, preferably linear ball bearings arranged in pairs on forward and rearward edges of platform 36 and oriented to provide spaced transverse guide ways for the two rails 60 of sliding probe platform 58 allowing linear extension and retraction movement of Platform 58 relative to platform 36transversely relative to the longitudinal extent of the boom 35 and of the cart. Thus there are two pairs of guides 56 each pair supporting a transversely extending rail 60 at spaced locations.
The movement of platform 58 is controlled by hydraulic cylinder 62 and rod 64 having an axis transverse relative to the boom 35, the cylinder 62 being attached to a bracket 66 extending upwardly from platform 36 and the rod 64 being attached to probe platform 58 at bracket 68. Hydraulic pressure supplied in one and the other sense to cylinder 62 e~tends and retracts the rod 64 to direct the probe platform 58 toward and away from the rail car (see particularly Figures 7 and 8). Such travel, in line with the preferred dimensions already given should be 36" and the rails 60 are designed of a length to allow this movement in the guides.
Mounted on the probe platform 58 to project toward the rail car is the probe 70 on a probe mounting assembly. To achieve the lowest height possible for such a probe, the guide mounts 56 for rails 60 are spaced on the boom pla-tform 36 to receive there-between probe 70 and its assembly. Thus the probe 70 and the probe mounting assembly are mounted below the pla-tform 68 and between the rearward guides 56 and the piston 62 to obtain a very low height ~3~
for the probe.
The probe assembly comprises downwardly extending mounting plates 74 on which probe drive shaft 76 is rotatably mounted. On the side of platform 58 remote from the probe a hydraulic motor 78 is mounted with its shaft 80 coupled to rotatably drive shaft 76. The probe 70 is mounted on other end of shaft 76 for rotation therewith. The probe may terminate in a stepped sequence of decreasing sections all of the required square cross section to couple to the square socket recess, in a four sided pyramid as shown.
The probe mounting is preferably as shown in Figure 5. The outer end of shaft 76 is provided with an outwardly extending sleeve 82 pinned to shaft 76 for rotation therewith. A
cap 84 is welded to the outer end of sleeve 82 and defines a chamber in the outer end of -the sleeve and further defines a passage, square in cross-section, but with outwardly diverging sides at an angle of less than 7 1/2 to the axis of shaft 76. The probe 70 has a cross-section to pass slidably through the inner end of the cap 84 passage and the inner end of probe 70 is provided with an enlarged head 86 located in the chamber defined in the outer end of sleeve 82. The divergence the sides of cap 84 and the space allowed for head 86 allow the probe 70 to assume any angle up to 7 1/2 to its median position while being keyed to shaft 76 for rotation therewith. Such variation on the probe orientation allows the probe 70 to compensate for the fact that the central sockets in the hopper cars differ in orientation from each other by small mounts due to manufacturing variation or damage to the car~
It is believed that design should not allow for divergence of the probe from the median of more than 7 1/2 due to the difficulty of _g_ ~3~
transmitting rotary torque throuyh the rough universal connection shown in Figure 5.
The hydraulic supplies required for operation of the device are preferably provided by electric motor 88 (the electric supply leads to the motor are not shown) driving hydraulic pump 90 both mounted on the chassis at the end remote from the boom pivots 32~ The hydraulic pump, through controls and conduits, not shown supplies hydraulic fluid for the following.
1. Hydraulic fluid to hydraulic motor 92 mounted on the chassis and aligned with the shaft of rearward wheels 18, and connected to drive the la-tter through shaft 96. (The motor 92 has a 'motoring spool' which is a well known and commercial available device which allows shaft 96 and wheels 18 to rotate fr,eely in the absence of hydraulic supplies to the motor. Although conventional, this feature has important advantages for the invention where at some times it is advantageous to have the cart and motor driven by the rail car through the probe - control socket connection).
This invention relates to a cart mounted apparatus for opening hopper cars.
Hopper cars form part of freight trains and carry bulk loads such as coal, grain or potash. Trains fre~uently consist of a large number of such hopper cars all carrying the same product. Such hoppex cars are conventionally dumped by a rotatable control rod actuated by the ;nsertion and rotation of a pxobe in a socket located in the side of a hopper car. It is very much more convenient ln dumping such cars to be able to do this without stopping the train, bu-t rather while allowing the -train to travel at a relatively slow speed over the dumping site.
To insert the probe and perform the dumping with the -train in motion requires the apparatus with which this invention is concerned~ The apparatus must take into account the fact that the probe sockets vary in height between different cars and that some sockets are located very close to the ground, the range of probe heights being commonly from 7 to 19 inches above the rails.
The invention provides a cart movable on rails parallel and beside the regular rails for the freight over a stretch of the regular railway track including that extent where the dumping is to take place. The cart carries an operator and a boom pivotted on the cart about an axis transverse with respect to the track. Moun-ted on the boom adjacent its free end is a probe with means for advancing and retracting in the direction of the hopper car (whereby the probe may be inserted in the socket o:E
the freight car) while the cart travels alongside, whereby means are provided for rotating the probe to perform the dumping action.
Means are provided to control the heigh-t of the boom.
Thus the operator of the cart will control the boom height and cart speed until -the probe is aligned with -the con-trol socket in the moving hopper car and will then insert and rotate the probe into and in the socket to dump the car.
One of the principal problems with a cart thus designed ~ 5~-~L~J
is the\very low position of the probe socket providing severe limitations upon the height of the apparatus on the cart for positioning the probe.
In order to achieve such low pxobe heiyht, the invention provides a cart having a chassis extending between forward and rearward sets of wheels. A boom is pivc~tally mounted adjacent one end of the chassis to pivot about an axis transverse with respect to the cart and the boom generally extends longitudin-ally along the cart over its permissible range of movement. The probe mounting mechanism is located adjacent the free end of the boom. Means are provided for raising and lowering the boom over a predetermined arc of movement which is designed to provide the range of height desired for the boom. Over the arc of movement the boom extends in a more horizontal than vertical direction and it will thus be appreciated that the use of a pivoted boom extending along the cart assists in maintaining the probe apparatus at a low height.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the low height for the probe may be achieved by providing that the chassis is raised at the two ends with the wheel mountings but depressed between the ends to provide a low frame on which the free end of the boom may rest providing a relatively low probe height since the probe is mounted near the outer end of the boom.
In a preferred aspect of the invention so far discussed the stresses e~erted through the probe on the boom are resisted by a reaction surface which extends upwardly from the platform over the arc of movement of boom to limit movement of the ~2--3~
boom toward and away from the location of the cars.rhe reaction surface is preferably a pathway for rollers mounted on the boom. These stresses exerted through the probe on the boom are caused by such matters as momentary tendencies of the hopper car to speed up or slow down the cart through the probe and forces between the probe and the railway car on insertion, withdrawal or operation of the probe.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the boom is pivotally mounted on one raised end of the cart and is curved to be convex upward, which has the effect of further lowering the probe since the outer end of the boom lies closer to the lowered frame in the lowest attitude of the boom.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the height control for the boom comprises a hydraulic cylinder and rod with one of the cylinder or rod attached to the chassis at a first transverse pivot axis near the lowered frame height at the same end of the cart as the boom pivot. The other of the cylinder or rod is connected to the boom at a second transverse pivot point so that the boom between pivot points, the chassis between pivot points and the cylinder and rod form three sides of a triangle with the cylinder and rod nearly horizontal in the lower orientation of the boom (but sloping slightly upward toward the boom) and extension of the cylinder and rod causing raising of the boom. The nearly horizontal orientation of the cylinder in the lower position of the boom (corresponding to the lower position of the probe) is of importance since with the low probe height required, this is felt the best way of arranging the hydraulic cylinder since there is not space to have its axis vertically disposed.
other ieatures and advantages of the invention are defined and described in the description of the preferred embodiment ~3~
which follows.
In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention :
Figure l is a perspective view of the inventive cart beside a hopper car, Figure 2 is a side view of a cart in accord with the invention from the opposite side to that from which the probe projects, Figure 3isa plan view of the cart, Figure 4 shows the probe actuating mechanism, Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the probe mounting, Figure 6 is a partially schematic view showing the application of the probe to the railway car, Figures 7 and 8 show the operation of the probe platform, Figure 9 is a purely schematic view to demonstrate the main operating features.
In the clescription of the specific embodiment Figure 9 may be used for schematic background. Figure 9 does not accurately portray the structural members but does demonstrate the scheme of operation.
In the drawings, Figure l shows a typical hopper car 11 on conventional railway tracks for conventional rolling stock. Hopper car ll has a socket 71 for each bay, the socket to be rotated by a tool to dump the bay of the car. Paralleling these and usually about 45" therefrom is a pair of rails 12 and 14 on which the cart in accord with the invention is locatedO The pair of rails 12 and 1~ must parallel the usual tracks over an e~tent which includes the desired dumping location for the hopper cars and will extend on each side thereof to allow the cart to increase speed ~33~
before and lose speed after performing the dumping operation.
The car comprises a chassis 10 extending between a forward pair of wheels 16 and a rearward pair of wheels 18 which ride on the rails 12 and 14. (Although the terms 'forward' and 'rearward' are applied to the cart, it will perform its function going either direction). The rails 12 and 14 are preferably regular railway rails. Although wheels 16 and 18 might be regular railway wheels it is preferred to use wheels having double flanges as shown. Such wheels give better resistance to the uneven stresses exerted by the regular car on the cart during the dumping operation.
The chassis 10 comprises raised end portions below which the wheel pairs are mounted and a lowered central portion designed to be located between the rails. In the preferred embodiment this desired form is embodied by spaced channels 26 and 26 extend the length of the chassis and are joined by channels 25, 34 and 27. The spacing and location of the channels 26 and 26 is such that they are within rails 12 and 14. The channels 26 and 26 are, as shown in Figure 2 provided with raised and extents 28 and 30 at opposed ends of the frame on which the wheels 16 and 18 are mounted on wheel mounts 32 and 37 extending downwardly from extents 28 and 30 respectively. The spaced channels 26 slope downwardly from each extent 28 and 30 to provide sloping ex-tents 29 and 31 integral with opposed lowered central framework extents 44 between the sloping portions. It wi]l be noted that the lowered central framework extents can assume a height lower than the top of the rails 12 and 14. This allows the low travel of the probe as hereinafter described. It will be noted that -the chassis rnay have a number, not shown, of additional cross pieces to improve -the rigidity.
~3~
Mounted at the upper ends of opposed sloping extents 31 are the pivotal mountings 32 for the boom 35 formed by twin members 37. As shown the boom 35 is formed by spaced arms 37 each pivotally mounted at a mounting 32 on a sloping extent 31. The twin arms 37 are connected to form a unitary boom by the attached platform 36. The boom extends from the mounts 32 toward the other end of the cart where the platform 36 is dimensioned to rest on the spaced central extents 44. As shown the members 37, (and hence the boom) are (is) shaped to be concave upward so that the free end of boom is now more nearly parallel to central extents 44 if the boom were straight between its pivoted and its free end.
The platform 36 mounts on its side, remote from pivots 32, the roller 47 mounted to rotate about an axis perpendicular to and preferably intersecting the axis 33 of pivots 32. At the end of the chassis remote from pivots 32, raised channel extents 28 support a platform 48. Mounted on the rearward edge of platform 48 are a pair of spaced plates 50 whose planes are vertical and parallel to the fore and aft axis of the cart.
Such plates, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3 are shaped and spaced to provide support for the roller 47 over its permissable arc of movement with the boom. Plates 50 thus provide support for the free end of the boom 35 against stresses tending to deflect it in either direction transverse to the cart.
The use of support means in the form of plates 50 for the outer end of the boom is important. The support plate 50 on the side of the boom remote from the rail car is particularly important since, as hereinafter described, the probe is used pressing on the rail car and the reaction pressure tends to de~lect the boom. ~ther stresses transmitted through the probe to the arm ~l93~
are due to the resistance of the probe to withdrawal from the rail car (tending to draw the boom to~ard the rail car) and stresses in both directions on the probe due to the tendency toward differing velocities of the rail car and cart (linked through the probe in the control socket), the resistance to these changes in velocity being transmitted through the probe. Thus the support surfaces 50 on both sides of the boom are important.
The attitude of the boom 37, is controlled by an hydraulic cylinder - rod combination. The hydraulic cylinder 100 is pivotally connected to bracket 104 at the centre on a cross beam 34 extending between channels sections 31 at the rearward ~nd of lowered central extents 44. The rod 106 of cylinder 100 is pivotally connected to bracket 105 on the rearward side of platform 36. The pivotal axes connecting the cylinder and rod are ransverse to the longitudinal axis of the cart. It will be seen, from observing the solid and dotted line positions of the cylinder 100, rod 106 and platform 36 in Figure 2, that the bracket 104, bracket 105 are geometrically arranged so that the cylinder - rod 100-106 form, with the extent from bracket 10~ to axis 33, and with the extent from bracket 105 to axis 33 a triangle wherein expansion and contraction of the side composed cylinder - rod 100-106 acts to raise and lower respectively the booms 37 and platform 36. The upwardly sloping attitude of the cylinder - rod 100-106 in the lowest (solid line Figure 2) position of the boom provides a suit-able orientation for the control forces required to control the attitude of the boom in the lower portion of its permissible arc of movement The force directions of -the cylinder - rod axis are of course more efficiently directed over the upper portion of the permissible arc of the boom. A vertical axis for the cylinder -rod combination would of course be more efficient use of the cylinder-3~
piston combination. However such vertical orientation is not available since there is not room for a vertically disposed piston and rod between the chassis members 4~, 44 and the booms 37 in its lowest position.
Mounted on the upper side of platform 36 two pairs guides 56, preferably linear ball bearings arranged in pairs on forward and rearward edges of platform 36 and oriented to provide spaced transverse guide ways for the two rails 60 of sliding probe platform 58 allowing linear extension and retraction movement of Platform 58 relative to platform 36transversely relative to the longitudinal extent of the boom 35 and of the cart. Thus there are two pairs of guides 56 each pair supporting a transversely extending rail 60 at spaced locations.
The movement of platform 58 is controlled by hydraulic cylinder 62 and rod 64 having an axis transverse relative to the boom 35, the cylinder 62 being attached to a bracket 66 extending upwardly from platform 36 and the rod 64 being attached to probe platform 58 at bracket 68. Hydraulic pressure supplied in one and the other sense to cylinder 62 e~tends and retracts the rod 64 to direct the probe platform 58 toward and away from the rail car (see particularly Figures 7 and 8). Such travel, in line with the preferred dimensions already given should be 36" and the rails 60 are designed of a length to allow this movement in the guides.
Mounted on the probe platform 58 to project toward the rail car is the probe 70 on a probe mounting assembly. To achieve the lowest height possible for such a probe, the guide mounts 56 for rails 60 are spaced on the boom pla-tform 36 to receive there-between probe 70 and its assembly. Thus the probe 70 and the probe mounting assembly are mounted below the pla-tform 68 and between the rearward guides 56 and the piston 62 to obtain a very low height ~3~
for the probe.
The probe assembly comprises downwardly extending mounting plates 74 on which probe drive shaft 76 is rotatably mounted. On the side of platform 58 remote from the probe a hydraulic motor 78 is mounted with its shaft 80 coupled to rotatably drive shaft 76. The probe 70 is mounted on other end of shaft 76 for rotation therewith. The probe may terminate in a stepped sequence of decreasing sections all of the required square cross section to couple to the square socket recess, in a four sided pyramid as shown.
The probe mounting is preferably as shown in Figure 5. The outer end of shaft 76 is provided with an outwardly extending sleeve 82 pinned to shaft 76 for rotation therewith. A
cap 84 is welded to the outer end of sleeve 82 and defines a chamber in the outer end of -the sleeve and further defines a passage, square in cross-section, but with outwardly diverging sides at an angle of less than 7 1/2 to the axis of shaft 76. The probe 70 has a cross-section to pass slidably through the inner end of the cap 84 passage and the inner end of probe 70 is provided with an enlarged head 86 located in the chamber defined in the outer end of sleeve 82. The divergence the sides of cap 84 and the space allowed for head 86 allow the probe 70 to assume any angle up to 7 1/2 to its median position while being keyed to shaft 76 for rotation therewith. Such variation on the probe orientation allows the probe 70 to compensate for the fact that the central sockets in the hopper cars differ in orientation from each other by small mounts due to manufacturing variation or damage to the car~
It is believed that design should not allow for divergence of the probe from the median of more than 7 1/2 due to the difficulty of _g_ ~3~
transmitting rotary torque throuyh the rough universal connection shown in Figure 5.
The hydraulic supplies required for operation of the device are preferably provided by electric motor 88 (the electric supply leads to the motor are not shown) driving hydraulic pump 90 both mounted on the chassis at the end remote from the boom pivots 32~ The hydraulic pump, through controls and conduits, not shown supplies hydraulic fluid for the following.
1. Hydraulic fluid to hydraulic motor 92 mounted on the chassis and aligned with the shaft of rearward wheels 18, and connected to drive the la-tter through shaft 96. (The motor 92 has a 'motoring spool' which is a well known and commercial available device which allows shaft 96 and wheels 18 to rotate fr,eely in the absence of hydraulic supplies to the motor. Although conventional, this feature has important advantages for the invention where at some times it is advantageous to have the cart and motor driven by the rail car through the probe - control socket connection).
2. Hydraulic rluid to operate cylinder 100 to raise and lower boom 37 over its permissible range of movement as shown in Figure 2.
3. Hydraulic fluid to operate cylinder 62 to extent and retract the probe platform 58 to move the probe 70 toward or away from the hopper car.
4. Hydraulic fluid to operate motor 78 to rotate probe 70 to open the hopper.
The controls for the devices described above are not described in detail. Such controls are commercially available and wel] known to those skilled in the art. Such con-trols will be loca-ted on the arms of the operators chair 108 which as shown, is 1~3~
mounted on the chassis over the boom pivot point and facing the hopper car.
The operation of the device is as follows :
With a train carrying a hopper car toward the dump site, the operator operates the controls to propel the cart alongside the hopper car to be dumped, travelling at a speed corresponding to that of the hopper car, he aligns the probe 70 with the car control socket by raising or lowering platform 36 by the operation of boom cylinder 100 and with coordinated contrcl of the cart speed brings the probe 70 into line with the car control socket 71. Under the control of cylinder 62 the probe 70 and plat~orm 58 is advanced toward the hopper car so tha-t by proper coordination of these operations the probe 70 is inserted in the control socket 71 of the hopper car. The motor 78 is then operated to rotate the probe 70 in the correct sense in the control socket to dump the hopper. During the time that the probe 70 is in the socket the hopper car will control the speed of the cart. Many methods of allowing the cart to 'idle' without drive connection to its hydraulic motor are available, however the best method o~
allowing the hopper car to drive the cart is use of the motoring spool as previously described.
Due to the pressure of the probe 70 on the hopper car and to the reactive pressure and also the longitudinal pressures exerted by the hopper car on the probe, the pressures on the boom 37 tending to deflect are resisted by the roller ~7 bearing on one or the other support surfaces 50. As previously explained, these stresses as transmitted to the chassis are resisted by the double flanged wheels 16, 18 bearing on -the rails 12, 14.
The controls for the devices described above are not described in detail. Such controls are commercially available and wel] known to those skilled in the art. Such con-trols will be loca-ted on the arms of the operators chair 108 which as shown, is 1~3~
mounted on the chassis over the boom pivot point and facing the hopper car.
The operation of the device is as follows :
With a train carrying a hopper car toward the dump site, the operator operates the controls to propel the cart alongside the hopper car to be dumped, travelling at a speed corresponding to that of the hopper car, he aligns the probe 70 with the car control socket by raising or lowering platform 36 by the operation of boom cylinder 100 and with coordinated contrcl of the cart speed brings the probe 70 into line with the car control socket 71. Under the control of cylinder 62 the probe 70 and plat~orm 58 is advanced toward the hopper car so tha-t by proper coordination of these operations the probe 70 is inserted in the control socket 71 of the hopper car. The motor 78 is then operated to rotate the probe 70 in the correct sense in the control socket to dump the hopper. During the time that the probe 70 is in the socket the hopper car will control the speed of the cart. Many methods of allowing the cart to 'idle' without drive connection to its hydraulic motor are available, however the best method o~
allowing the hopper car to drive the cart is use of the motoring spool as previously described.
Due to the pressure of the probe 70 on the hopper car and to the reactive pressure and also the longitudinal pressures exerted by the hopper car on the probe, the pressures on the boom 37 tending to deflect are resisted by the roller ~7 bearing on one or the other support surfaces 50. As previously explained, these stresses as transmitted to the chassis are resisted by the double flanged wheels 16, 18 bearing on -the rails 12, 14.
Claims (22)
1. Dumping apparatus for use with railway hopper cars having laterally open dump sockets and operable on rotation of said sockets to dump said hopper car, a cart having forward and rearward sets of wheels, said wheels being designed to carry said cart on rails running parallel to and adjacent a railway line, said cart having a chassis mounted on said wheels, a boom pivotally mounted adjacent one end of said chassis to pivot about an axis generally transverse thereto, said boom having a predetermined permissable arc of movement about said axis and over said arc extending in a general fore and aft direction, a probe mounted on said boom, said probe being directed transversely relative to said cart, means for controlling the velocity of said cart, means for extending and retracting said probe on said transverse direction, said probe being shaped to enter the dump socket of a hopper car and to couple thereto for rotation of the socket by the probe, said probe being designed and mounted to extend sufficiently to enter the dump socket of a hopper car, means for controlling the location of said boom in said arc of movement and hence the height of said probe, means for rotating said probe whereby coupling said probe to said dump socket and rotating said probe may effect dumping of said hopper car.
2. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided for supporting said boom, adjacent its free end, against movement transverse to the cart over said arc of movement.
3. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for supporting the free end of said boom comprises a pair of surfaces mounted on said chassis and designed to provide a path on each side of said boom over said arc, such path forming an arc centred at said boom pivotal axis, and a roller mounted on said boom designed to roll on either said pathway in the deflection of said boom,
4. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chassis has raised ends corresponding to the front and rear chassis wheel mountings and means defining a lowered frame therebetween.
5. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said chassis has raised ends corresponding to the front and rear chassis wheel mountings and means defining a lowered frame therebetween.
6. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said chassis has raised ends corresponding to the front and rear chassis wheel mountings and means defining a lowered frame therebetween.
7. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said boom pivotal mounting is located on the chassis higher than said frame and beyond one end thereof, and said boom extends from such pivotal mount so that at the lower limit of its arc of movement the end remote from the pivot point is adjacent the frame.
8. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim S wherein said boom pivotal mounting is located on the chassis higher than said frame and beyond one end thereof, and said boom extends from such pivotal mount so that at the lower limit of its arc of movement the end remote from the pivot point is adjacent the frame.
9. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said boom pivotal mounting is located on the chassis higher than said frame and beyond one end thereof, and said boom extends from such pivotal mount so that at the lower limit of its arc of movement the end remote from the pivot point is adjacent the frame.
10. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 7 where said boom is curved to be convex upward.
11. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 8 where said boom is curved to be convex upward.
12. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 9 where said boom is curved to be convex upward.
13. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means for controlling the location of said boom comprises a hydraulic cylinder and rod having one of the cylinder or rod connected to said frame at a first transverse pivot axis and the other of said cylinder or rod being connected to said boom at a second transverse pivot axis; the first axis being located below said boom nearer the boom pivot axis than the free end and the second pivot axis being located at a location higher than the first pivot axis when the boom is at the low end of its arc of movement.
14. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for controlling the location of said boom comprises a hydraulic cylinder and rod having one of the cylinder or rod connected to said frame at a first transverse pivot axis and the other of said cylinder or rod being connected to said boom at a second transverse pivot axis, the first axis being located below said boom nearer the boom pivot axis than the free end and the second pivot axis being located at a location higher than the first pivot axis when the boom is at the low end of its arc of movement.
15. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said means for controlling the location of said boom comprises a hydraulic cylinder and rod having one of the cylinder or rod connected to said frame at a first transverse pivot axis and the other of said cylinder or rod being connected to said boom, at a second transverse pivot axis, the first axis being located below said boom nearer the boom pivot axis than the free end and the second pivot axis being located at a location higher than the first pivot axis when the boom is at the low end of its arc of movement.
16. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 7 where an hydraulic cylinder and rod are collectively connected to the frame at a first transverse pivot point adjacent the end of said frame nearer the boom pivot point and to the boom at a second transverse pivot point at a location on said boom chosen so that collective extension of said cylinder and rod raise said boom.
17. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 8 where an hydraulic cylinder and rod are collectively connected to the frame at a first transverse pivot point adjacent the end of said frame nearer the boom pivot point and to the boom at a second transverse pivot point at a location on said boom chosen so that collective extension of said cylinder and rod will raise said boom.
18. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 9 where an hydraulic cylinder and rod are collectively connected to the frame at a first transverse pivot point adjacent the end of said frame nearer the boom pivot point and to the boom at a second transverse pivot point at a location on said boom chosen so that collective extension of said cylinder and rod will raise said boom.
19. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the probe is mounted on probe mounting means for rotation and advance-ment therewith, said mounting means allowing said probe to assume orientations of up to 7 1/2° about a central orientation.
20. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the probe is mounted on probe mounting means for rotation and advance-ment therewith, said mounting means allowing said probe to assume orientations of up to 7 1/2° about a central orientation.
21. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the probe is mounted on probe mounting means for rotation and advance-ment therewith, said mounting means allowing said probe to assume orientations of up to 7 1/2° about a central orientation.
22. Dumping apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the probe is mounted on probe mounting means for rotation and advance-ment therewith, said mounting means allowing said probe to assume orientations of up to 7 1/2° about a central orientation.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000469845A CA1193141A (en) | 1984-12-11 | 1984-12-11 | Automatic hopper car door opener |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000469845A CA1193141A (en) | 1984-12-11 | 1984-12-11 | Automatic hopper car door opener |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1193141A true CA1193141A (en) | 1985-09-10 |
Family
ID=4129359
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000469845A Expired CA1193141A (en) | 1984-12-11 | 1984-12-11 | Automatic hopper car door opener |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1193141A (en) |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2707942A1 (en) * | 1993-07-19 | 1995-01-27 | Camail Ets J | Device for automating the operation and the opening and closing of wagon tailboards, hopper flaps or the like |
| FR2719275A1 (en) * | 1994-04-29 | 1995-11-03 | Ctc | Wagon unloading system operated automatically |
| EP1542892A2 (en) * | 2002-08-28 | 2005-06-22 | Martin Marietta Materials Southwest, Ltd. | Rail car door closer |
| US20130291760A1 (en) * | 2012-05-04 | 2013-11-07 | John Wellman | Hopper gate opener |
| WO2018102442A1 (en) | 2016-12-02 | 2018-06-07 | Chambers Quintin | Rail car key adaptor tool |
| US11511776B2 (en) | 2018-11-21 | 2022-11-29 | BHP Billiton Canada Inc. | System and method for in-motion railcar loading |
-
1984
- 1984-12-11 CA CA000469845A patent/CA1193141A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2707942A1 (en) * | 1993-07-19 | 1995-01-27 | Camail Ets J | Device for automating the operation and the opening and closing of wagon tailboards, hopper flaps or the like |
| FR2719275A1 (en) * | 1994-04-29 | 1995-11-03 | Ctc | Wagon unloading system operated automatically |
| EP1542892A2 (en) * | 2002-08-28 | 2005-06-22 | Martin Marietta Materials Southwest, Ltd. | Rail car door closer |
| EP1542892A4 (en) * | 2002-08-28 | 2012-03-07 | Martin Marietta Materials Southwest Ltd | Rail car door closer |
| US20130291760A1 (en) * | 2012-05-04 | 2013-11-07 | John Wellman | Hopper gate opener |
| US9315201B2 (en) * | 2012-05-04 | 2016-04-19 | John Wellman | Hopper gate opener |
| WO2018102442A1 (en) | 2016-12-02 | 2018-06-07 | Chambers Quintin | Rail car key adaptor tool |
| EP3548355A4 (en) * | 2016-12-02 | 2020-08-05 | Chambers, Quintin | Rail car key adaptor tool |
| US11511776B2 (en) | 2018-11-21 | 2022-11-29 | BHP Billiton Canada Inc. | System and method for in-motion railcar loading |
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