US1913369A - Railway hopper car - Google Patents

Description

June 13,1933. A. CAMPBELL 1,913,369

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Fild April 20, 193; s Shee ts-Sheet 1 June 13, 1933 A. CAMPBELL RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Filed April 20, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 2 June 13, 1933. A. CAMPBELL RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Filed April '20, 1931. a She ets-Sheet s June 13, 1933; I ACAMPBELL' 1,913,369

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mil S June 13, 1933. I CAMPBELL 1,913,369

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Filed-April 20, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 13, 1933. CAMPBELL 1,913,369

' RAILW Y HOPPER CAR Filed April 20, 1951 'e Sheets-Sheet s Patented June 13, 1933 PATENT OFFICE ARG'YIJE CAMPBELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ENTERPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS RAILWAY HOPPER CAR '.App1ication filed April 20, 1931.

My invention relates to railway hopper cars, and more particularly to the-hopper construction and related door mechanism.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved frame for the hopper surrounding the discharge opening of thehopper adapted to reinforce and strengthen the hopper walls and vform astrong, rigid,

structure for supporting the door in proper cooperating relation thereto.

A further object is to provide an improved frame, door and locking mechanism articulated together in such manner as toform a complete unitary structure, the parts of which can be assembled independently of the car and then attached to the hopper as a unit.

A further object is to provide a complete reinforcing door frame which surrounds and supports the hopper walls and defines the discharge opening, which can be readily attached in position after it has been completely made as an indepndent unit and which has provision for supporting a cooperating door independently of the hopper or car frame, and which provides, in conjunction with the door, an effective seal for the joint between the door and frame against leakage of the lading material.

.A further object is to arrange the frame and related hopper wall construction so that the frame can be directly secured to the centersill of the car and to the hopper walls in such manner as to co-ordinate the parts in a strong durable structure capable of withstanding the strains and Wear of service.

A further object is to provide an improved hinge-butt member, as part of the door frame,'which overlies and protects the upper edge of the door and supports the door for swinging movement and which supports the upper sloping floor sheet of the hopper.

A further object is to provide other details and arrangement of partswhich will hereinafter appear from the following do scription, in coniunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the embodiment of, my invention.

Referring to these drawings, Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of Serial No. 531,469.

the lower portion of a hopper car showing a portion of a hopper on one side of the centersill, and showing the door in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the hopper door in closed position in relation to the hopper frame;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper inner corner portion of the hopper adjacent the centersill, illustrating the relation of the parts of the hopper walls, top sloping floor plate and hinge-butt;

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation'of the outer side of the hopper, hopper frame and door in closed position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a hopper similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modification in which the hopper frame and hinge-butt are combined in an integral unitary c011- struction, this structure being shown in relation to the channel type of centersill construction;

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the outer side of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on line 77 of Fig. 5

Fig. 8 is a detail section substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 7; and -Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section similar to Fig. 7, showing the upper portion i an individual door for each opening. The

doors of each pair are transversely aligned and in some instances are connected together by a brace beam to be operated in unison. In other instancesthe doors and the operat-' ing mechanism therefor are arranged to be independently operated individually of each other. Since the hopper structures and door mechanism on both sides of the centersill are the same, the drawings illustrate the details ,of the structure on one side of the -(:entersill only, and sufficient of the associated structure of the centersill is shown to illustrate the relation of the parts.

In Fig. 1, one of the centersill members 1 is illustrated in section and is of the type having lower flanges 2 outstanding from the vertical web portion of the structure. The upper flanges of the centersill members are connected by the usual cover plate 3.

The hopper on each side of the centersill is defined by the upper and lower longitudinally sloping walls 10 and 11, respectively, and by the inner and outer side walls 12 and 13, respectively, all of which are arranged to provide a discharge opening disposed in a plane at substantially right angles to the bottom floor sheet 11, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. While the inner and outer walls are substantially vertical, the outer wall tapers or converges downwardly toward the inner wall sufficiently to render the discharge opening trapezoidal in shape.

The lower edge of the outer vertical side wall 14 of the car has a portion 15.whichis deflected inwardly to forma support for the u per sloping floor sheet 10 of the hopper, t e wall 14 and portion 15 being secured to a longitudinally disposed frame angle 16. In like manner, the ridge sheet 17 which overlies the centersill has an instanding flange portion 18 for supporting the inner portion of the sloping hopper sheet 10.

The inner hopper sheet 12, at-its upper edge portion 19, is vertically disposed in a plane parallel to the centersill and is secured by series of rivets 20 to the outer face of the centersill web 1. The normal or main portion of the hopper sheet 12 is deflected angularly downwardly at 21 to the point where it clears the outwardly extending flange 2 of the centersill and then continues vertically downward where it joins the bottom sloping floor sheet 11 of the hopper. Thus this inner wall normally has two portions which are parallel with the centersill but disposed in different planes. The marginal edge portion adjacent the opening is embossed outwardly to accommodate the marginal frame surrounding said hopper opening. This embossment is formed by deflecting the marginal portion 22 of the wall above the centersill flange at a more acute angle and then continuing said marginal portion 23 vertically downwardly in parallel relation with the main portion 12 of the wall and with the centersill. This portion 23 is spaced outwardly from the centersill flange to provide room for the reinforcing frame B, hereinafter described.

By reference more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that three'parallel vertical portions 12, 19 and 23 of the hopper wall are connected by the three sloping portions 22, 2 1 and 25, these portions being all disposed at angles which enable them to properly shed the lading and prevent the formation of material-retaining pockets.

The inner and outer walls and the bottom sloping wall of the hopper all terminate with their edges 26 in the same plane and these edge portions are surrounded by the rein forcing frame B, hereinabove referred to. This reinforcing frame member B is in the form of a rolled section of T-shape,

'bent at its lower corners (Fig. 1) to conform to the trapezoidal shape of' the discharge opening defined by the hopper walls. This frame member thus takes the form of a U or a stirrup having a horizontal portion B extending across the bottom edge of the hopper, and an inner and outer vertical leg B and B respectively, which extend upwardly along the respective inner and outer hopper walls 12 and 13, the outer leg B being angularly disposed to conform to the angular disposition of the outer hopper wall.

As shown more specifically in Figs. 2 and 4, the frame member B is T-shaped in cross section. It has a broad web portion 27 which is secured to the hopper walls by the series ofrivets 28, and a flange portion 29 extending therefrom considerably beyond the marginal edges 26 of the hopper sheets so as to bridge the gap between the plane of the marginal. edges 26 and the lower edge 30 of the upper sloping hopper wall 10, thus defining the margins of the hopper discharge opening. The frame member B also has an outstanding integral reinforcing rib or flange 31. The flange 29 is sharply tapered from a relatively thick section at the outstanding flange 31 to a relatively sharp edge 32 which provides for maximum strength of the frame surrounding the opening and at the same time provides in effect a knife edge which, in conjunction with the door, operates to cut and dislodge any obstruction formed by frozen material carried by the door, thus insuring the complete closure of the door. a v

Asbefore mentioned, the offset or embossed portion 23 of the inner hopper wall 12 is spaced from the centersill to accommodate the frame member B. It will be observed (Fig. 1) that the inner leg B of the frame member B extends upwardly in this space between the offset portion 23 and the flange 2 of the centersill to a point considerably above said flange. The web portion 27 of the frame B is riveted to the offset portion 23 in the same manner as it is riveted to the bottom and outer wall of the hopper. The upper end of the inner leg B of the frame B is sheared on the bias so that although the frame' stands at an angle to the vertical, the line of this bias edge is disposed substantially horizontally in parallel relation to the flange of the centersill.

"The upper end 35 of the outstanding reinforcing flange 27 is cut away (Fig. 1) to provide room for a flange on the hinge-butt member, as hereinafter described. The frame of the hopper discharge opening is completed at the top by means of a hingebutt member C which extends transversely of the hopper outwardly from the centersill to the leg B of the frame member B. This hinge-butt member is preferably made in the form of a casting and comprises, in

- general, the two flanges C and C disposed substantially at right angles to each other and strengthened by a number of integral reinforcing ribs 36 disposed in the corner formed by the angle. The flange C is disposed in the plane of the sloping floor 10 of the hub and underlies this floor sheet and is secured thereto by a series of rivets 37 in a manner to rigidly reinforce and sup port this floor sheet. The other flange C extends aiigularly downwardly and acts as a reinforcing rib in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of said floor sheet.

Integral hinge lugs 38 are formed on the hinge-butt member and arranged in pairs, and these hinge lugs 38 extend downwardly and inwardly to a point below the flange so that the hinge axis 39 is spaced from the flange C 1 At its outer end, the hinge-butt member C has an integral flange or wall portion 40 which is turned into the plane of the outer hopper wall and is secured to the upper end of the flange 29 of the leg B of the frame and is secured thereto by the rivet 41 so as to tie the hinge-butt member and the frame l3 together at the outer corner of the structure. The flange C of the hinge-butt meniher has an offset portion 42 to provide for the double thickness of metal occasioned by the sloping floor 10 and the floor supporting portion 15 hereinabove described. The inner end of the hinge-butt member has an integral wall 45 abutting the web 1 of the centersill and secured directly to said web by the rivets 46. This end of the hinge-butt member also has an integral sloping shelf 47 which bridges the space between the marginal edges 26 of the inner hopper walls and the discharge edge 30 of the sloping floor 10, thus filling in this upper corner of the hopper to provide a shedding surface for the discharging material. This shelf is dis posed at the same angle as the sloping wall portion 22 and underlies this sloping wall portion so as to provide a support therefor. This extended portion of the shelf is secured to the sloping portion 22 of the hopper by means of the rivet 48 (Figs. 1 and 3). The lower edge 49 of the sloping shelf is deflected downwardly a short distance into parallel abutting relation to the upper end of the leg B of the frame member B, the cut-away portion 35 of the reinforcing flange 31 of the frame being arranged for this purpose so tend the support of said flange further upwardly along the sloping floor 10, and that the corner portion of the sloping floor 10 is cutaway on the angle 51 to conform to the angle of the corner formed between the sloping shelf 47 and the widened portion 50 of the hinge-butt flange C The door A is of pan-shaped formation and conforms in outline to the trapezoidal conformation of the discharge opening-and the stirrup door frame. The door comprises a body plate 55 having marginal inner and outer side flanges 56 and 57, and a bottom flange 58 turned toward the hopper and arranged when the door is in closed position to overlie the flange 29 of the door frame B. These flanges are disposed at an angle to correspond to the taper of the flange 29 and the parts are so proportioned that the reinforcing flange 31 of the door frame member B extends outwardly beyond the edges of the door flanges to provide aseal around the door opening. The door, together with the bracing means and the looking mechanism constitutes siIb ect-matter embodied in my co-pending application, Serial No. 531,470, filed April 20, 1931, now Patent No. 1,885,181 granted November 1, 1932.

The door A is provided with hinge straps 60 which are secured by the rivets 61 to the door plate. The upper end of the door straps form hinge loops for the hinge pins 39, these hinge loops being positioned bethe curved upper edge portion of the door plate in tangential relation thereto, toprovide a closed joint between the door and the hopper. floor in any position into which the door is swung.

The lower edge of the door is braced and strengthened by a beam member D which extends the full width of the door at the lower edge thereof. This beam member comprises a suitable casting having a web D and a flange D disposed at substantially right angles to each other with the web D disposed in a plane parallel to the door plate and secured thereto by a series of rivets 65, and the flange D- extending at right angles outwardly therefrom and serving as a strengthening rib in a direction at right angles to the plane of the door. The ends 66 of the web D are deflected toward the door to embrace and strengthen a portion of the side flanges of the door and adjacent each end are provided integral ribs 67 in the corners between the web and flange to strengthen the beam. In the present structure, the lower portion if the body of the door, the bottom flange 58 and the lower portions of the side flanges of the door are all formed as integral portions of the brace member D'. The web portion 69 of the beam is provided with the bottom flange 58 and with side flanges arranged to complete the pan-like formation of the door at its lower eoge.

The locking mechanism for the door is positioned substantially in the center of the width of the door. This locking mechanism comprises a latch member 70 adapted to engage the notched or shouldered end 71 of a keeper 72 which is mounted on the bottom sloping floor of the hopper adjacent the opening thereof. The latch member is pivotally mounted between the web ofthe beam and an integral lug 73 on the beam, and extends lengthwise of the beam between the web and flange thereof. It is guided in its pivotal movement between two wall portions 74, one of which is integral with and rises above the edge of the beam web, and the other of which is integral with and rises from the flange of the beam. The two walls are spaced apart and pivotally sup ort, at their upper ends, a locking dog 7 5 w ich engages and, holds the latch member in locked position.

The keeper is an integral structure riveted to the bottom sloping wall of the hopper and to the frame B, and the shouldered portion of the keeper extends outwardly therefrom through an opening 76 in the body of the door into position to be engaged by the latch member when the door is in closed position. The keeper is of triangular shaped integral formation 77 which provides shedding surfaces preventing the formation of material-retaining pockets. around the keeper. The triangular formation has an upstanding wall 78 against which the body of the door abuts, this wall being sufficiently larger in diameter than the opening 76 to seal the opening against leakage.

It will thus be noted that the frame B, the hinge-butt C, the door and the locking mechanism, are articulated together in such a manner that they form a complete unit which can be attached to the hopper and centersill as a unit. This has a decided advantage in' structures of this character because the unit can be manufacturedand all of its parts completely assembled together separate and apart from the car, and when so assembled the unit can be attached to the hopper by simply placing the frame B, with all of the parts assembled thereon, in

relative position with respect to the hopper walls and then riveted in place. Since the hinge-butt is attached at its ends to the upper ends of the legs of the frame B, these parts can be properly assembled apart from the car, and the door and locking mechanism fitted thereto. The door is assembled with the complete frame and is supported entirely by said frame independently of the car.

I The structure shown'in Figs. 5 to 8, while retaining the principles involved in the structure hereinbefore described, is modified in a number of respects, particularly in the fact that the hinge-butt member and the hopper frame are joined in an integral structure in the form of a single casting. In addition to this, the structure shown is modified to apply it to a car having a centersill made up of channel members, having no outstanding flanges.

In Fig. 5, one of the channel members of the centersill is shown in section. The upper and lower flanges 80 of the centersill members extend toward each other and the two members are joined by a top plate 81. The web 82 of the centersill member has a vertical outer face, hence, the inner wall of the hopper can be disposed vertically and there is no necessity for providing an offset portion to accommodate the outstanding flange of the type of centersill shown in the preceding figures.

In Figs. 5 to 8, the hopper is defined by the inner and outer side walls 12 and 13 and the top and bottom sloping walls 10 and 11, and the inner and outer vertical walls and the bottom wall adjacent the marginal opening are surrounded by the frame B. This frame is of T-shaped section similar to the frame previously described, and the inner and outer vertical legs B and B thereof extend upwardly along the inner and outer walls of the hopper in the same manner. The hinge-butt member C, instead of being a separate casting, is integrally formed with the upper ends of the frame legs B and B The marginal portion 85 of the inner hopper wall is offset or embossed outwardly from the normal plane thereof to accommodate the inner leg B of the framein the space between said embossed or offset portion 85 and the web 82 of the centersill member. This offset portion 85 of the wall is joined to the main portion of the inner wall by the sloping or inclined portions 86 and .87 (Figs. 5, 7 and 8) which properly shed the material and prevent the formation of 'material-retaining pockets.

The inner end wall 45 of the hinge-butt member C is joined to the web 82 of the centersill by means of rivets to secure the frame rigidly in place. At the outer end, the flange C of the hinge-butt member is integrally formed with a vertical and horizontal wall portion 86 which is turned inwardly toward the hopper at an angle to i the length of the hinge-butt and which integrally joins the outstanding flange 31 at the upper end of the outer leg B" of the frame. This formation provides a shroud or housing-like structure which overlies the joint between the side margins of the door and the frame B, and at the same time provides a rigid and substantial connection between the frame B and. the hinge-butt. A reinforcing rib 87 also extends between the flanges C and (l of the hinge-butt, and this is extended angularly upward to form the wall portion 88 which is riveted to the side Wall of the car. In addition to this, the structure is further reinforced atthis upper corner by a broad integral rib 89 which extends diagonally upwardly in substantially the plane of the flange C (Fig. 6) and joins the wall 88 to provide reinforcement in the angle between the wall 88 and the end of the hinge-butt. The wall 88 continues inwardly toward the hopper and is also integral with the upper end of the broad flange 27 of the frame B.

, ered out of and into engagement with the keepers, and this raising and lowering ac-,

tion is accomplished by the rotation of the shaft. For, this reason, the locking shaft, at its outer end, has a forked portion 94 into Wlll('h a bar or other tool may be inserted .for the purpose of rotating the shaft.

The, shaft carries bushings 95 which are keyed thereto and these bushings have outstanding lugs 96 between which the upper ends of the operating links 97 are positioned and pivotally connected. The lower ends of the links 97 are positioned between and pivotally mounted in lugs 98 which are integrally formed with the beam flange 93 and project rearwardly therefrom. These link connections between the locking shaft and the beam cause the shaft to bodily raise or lower by the rot-ative action applied to the shaft. The shaft is guided in its bodily movement by guide members ad acent each end thereof. Adjacent the inner end of the door, the guide members 99 comprise.

straps which are spaced apart to accommodate the shaft therebetween, and riveted at their upper and lower ends to the door plate and the flange of the beam. Atthe outer corner of the door, the guides 100 support between their upper ends a pivotally mounted locking dog 101 which bears against the shaft and locks in a position against accidental displacement. The rivet 102 which forms the pivot for the locking dog extends through the guides and through the bodyof the door.

The keepers 91 and 92 are in the form of brackets secured by rivets 103 to the inner and outer vertical walls of the hopper and to the frame B surrounding the hopper ppening. The brackets can first be welded ,outer edge of the outstanding flange 31 of the frame. The keeper 91 at the inner corner of the hopper has an additional offset 107 to conform to the embossed or ofl'set portion 85 of the hopper wall hereinbefore described. I

The door differs from that hereinbefore described in that the door plate 55 continues to the lower edge of the door and has the bottom flange 108 formed integrally therewith. The beam flange 93 is integral with and extends at right angles to the beam web 109, and the beam web 109 is disposed par-. allel with the door sheet adjacent the lower margin thereof and is secured to the door plate by a series of rivets 110.

In Fig.9 a modification of the hinge-butt structure is illustrated. The edge of the sloping floor sheet 10 terminates short of the upper edge of the door and is substituted by an integral flange C formed as part of the hinge-butt member. This flange extends substantially in the plane of the flange C- and its upper surface is raised slightly to bring it to the level of the floor sheet. This flange overlies the curved upper portion 62 of the door in. tangential relation thereto, in the same manner as the floor sheet itself in the structure described in the preceding figures. The substitution of cast metal as part of the hinge-butt, for the edge portion of the rolled sheet of the sloping floor, provides a discharge edge for the floor of the hopper which is not subject to the corrosion and wear to which the hopper sheet edge is subjected.

While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and (I contemplate all changes and modifications that may come.

within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

space, said door frame structure comprising a stirruplike portion extending continu ously around the side and bottom walls of the hopper and having a portion lying between. the centersill flange and inner side wall sheet, said inner side wall sheet including substantially parallel sections lying in different planes, one of said sections lying beyond the outstanding flange of the center-.

sill and the other section being respectively securedto the centersill web and the frame structure, and inclined portions connecting said respective sections.

11. In a hopper car, the combination of a sloping floor, a hopper having a discharge opening below said sloping floor and having side walls terminating an appreciable distance from said sloping floor, and a door frame member having a portion underlying the sloping floor, and a portion extending at an angle to said underlying portion and forming a continuation of the adjacent hopper side wall to bridge the space intermediate the said side wall and said sloping floor,

.12. In a hopper car, the combination of a hopper and a pan-shaped dumping door, said hopper including spaced side walls and a lower floor wall connecting said side walls, a door frame structure extending around said side and lower floor walls, said frame structure being substantially T-shape in cross section and extending beyond the said side and floor walls, and having a flange outstanding therefrom and secured to the hoper structure on one side of said flange, said frame structure having another flange adapted to be enclosed by the pan-shaped door in closedposition.

13. In a railway car structure, the combination of a hopper structure, apan-shaped door having a movable locking member projecting beyond the respective door side edges, a door-framing structure extending around said side and bottom walls of the hopper structure and having a flange outstanding therefrom and body portionson the opposite sides of said flange, one of said portions being secured to the hopper walls and the other body portion being adapted to be enclosed by the pan-shaped door when thelatter is in closed position, and shouldered keeper members on the opposite hopper side walls,

said keepers being adapted to straddle the outstanding flange and extend beyond the same for cooperating engagement with the respective projecting portions of the molvable door-locking member.

14. In a hopper car structure, the combination of a hopper structure, including spaced walls and a lower floor connecting said side walls, a pan-shaped door having a movable door member projecting beyond an edge thereof, a door frame structure extending around said side and bottom walls, said member being substantially T-shape in section with the stem of the T outstanding from the hopper structure, one of the flanges of said frame structure being secured to the car structure and the other flange being adapted for enclosure by the pan-shaped door when the latter is 1n closed position, a shouldered keeper member overlying the said frame structure and rigidly secured thereto, said member being secured on one side'of the outstanding stem and extended beyond the same for cooperating engagement with the movable member on'the door.

15. In a hopper car, the combination of walls defining a discharge opening and a self contained unit adapted for attachment to said walls around the opening to provide an enclosure for said opening, sald unitcomprising a frame structure conforming to the discharge opening and adapted to be at tached to the walls, and having a flange adapted for cooperation with a door, a panshaped door comprising a body and flanges at the margins thereof adapted to enclose said flange on the frame when the door is in closed position, locking means carried by the door, and means on the frame for engagement by said locking means to hold the door in closed position, said frame having an additional outstanding flange adapted to cooperate with the door flanges to seal the joint between the frame and door when the door is in closed position.

16. In a railway car, the combination of a hopper including vertical side walls spaced apart and sloping top and bottom walls forming a discharge opening, the margins of theside walls and bottom wall terminating in aplane spaced from the margin of the top slo lng wall, a reinforcing frame having side an bottom portions bridging the space between said margins of the side and bottom walls and the edge of the top wall and overlying and secured to said side and bottom between said margins of the side and bottom walls and the edge of the top wall and overlying and secured to said side and bottom Walls, a top member for said frame extending into underlying relation to said top sloping wall for supporting the same,- and a pan-shaped door hinged to said frame top member and having flanges at its margins and adapted to enclose the bridging portions.

of said frame when the door is in closed position. l

18. In a railway car, the combination of a hopper including vertical side walls spaced apart and sloping top and bottom walls forming a discharge opening, the margins of the side walls and bottom wall terminating in a plane spaced from the margin of the top sloping wall, a reinforcing frame having side and bottom portions bridging the space between said margins of the side and bottom walls and the edge of said top wall and overlying and secured to said side and bottom walls, a top member for said frame extending into underlying relation to said top slopingwall for supporting the same, a pan-shaped door hinged to said frame top member and having flanges at its margins and adapted to enclose the bridging portions of said frame when the door is in closed position, a locking device mounted on said door, and keeper means attached to said frame and projecting'beyond the plane of the door for engagement by the locking device to hold the door in closed position.

19. In a railway car, the combination of a hopper including vertical side walls spaced apart and sloping top and bottom walls 3 forming a discharge opening, the margins of the side walls and bottom wall terminating in a plane spaced from the margin of the top sloping wall, a reinforcing frame having side and bottom portions bridging the space between said margins of the side and bottom walls and the edge of the top wall and overlying and secured to said side and bottom walls, a top member for said frame extending into underlying relation to said top sloping wall for supporting the same, and a reinforcing rib for said frame outstanding from the side and bottom portions of said frame at an angle thereto.

20. In a railway car, the combination of a hopper including vertical side walls spaced apart and sloping top and bottom walls forming a discharge opening, the margins of the side walls and bottom wall terminating in a plane spaced from the margin of the top sloping wall, a reinforcing frame having side and bottom portions bridging the space betwen said margins of the side and bottom walls and the edge of the top wall and overlying and secured to said side and bottom walls, a top member for said frame extending into underlying relation to said top sloping wall for supporting the same, a reinforcing rib for said frame outstanding from the side and bottom portions of said frame at an angle thereto, a panshaped door hinged to said frame top member comprising a body and flanges at its margin and adapted to enclose said bridging portions of said frame and to cooperate with said outstanding flange to seal the oint between the frame and the 'door when the door is in closed position.

' 21. In a hopper car, the combination 'of a centersill, a hopper disposed on one side of said centersill and depending below the centersill and having a discharge opening, said hopper' including an inner side 'wall vertically disposed and secured to said centersill,

a frame structure attached to said hopper ing extended below the centersill and having an edge portion thereof embossed outwardly to present a flat section extending substantially in parallelism with the centersill web at an appreciable distance therefrom, said last named flat section being connected with the remaining portions of the wall by integral sloping sections; and a door frame structure disposed between the centersill and the said embossed portion and overlying the said spaced flat section and secured thereto.

23. In a railway car, the combination of a centersill having a substantially vertically extending web portion and a flange at the lower portion thereof outstanding from said web, a hopper structure at the side' of said centersill including inner and outer walls and upper and lower sloping walls; a door frame structure surroundin the marginal edges of said hopper, said frame structure having a wall portion secured flatwise on the outer side of the inner and outer walls and the lower sloping wall, said portion of the frame which overlies the inner wall being disposed between said inner wall and the centersill flange, said inner hopper Wall having its main portion secured to the web of the centersill and having a portion deflected outwardly to extend at an angle beyond the outstanding flange of the centersill and at a relatively shallower angle over said portion of the door frame structure.

24. In a railway hopper car, the combina tion ofa sill structure including a beam member having a substantially vertical web and an outstanding flange, a hopper at one side of said sill including inner and outer side wall plates and upper and lower sloping floor plates united together and having the spaces between their edges defining the discharge opening, said inner side wall plate having a base portion secured to the sill web and a main body portion extending substantially parallel to the outstanding flange and below the said flange, said body portion adjacent the edge of the late near the discharge opening being formed with a portion embossed outwardly beyond said body portion, said embossed portion including a flat section extendin substantially parallel to the sill web and the base portion of the wall plate and connected to the main body of the plate and to said base portion by integral sloping portions;

I anda door frame lying between the said embossed portion and the sill flange and having a portion overlying flatwise and secured to the said flat section of the embossment.

25. In a railway car of the character described, the combination with a centersill and a discharge hopper adjacent'the side thereof, said discharge hopper including inner and outer walls spaced from each other and connected by a sloping bottom wall, said walls together defining in part a dis charge opening, a frame structure having a body portion extending flatwise around the respective side walls and bottom walls, said inner wall having an embossment formed therein for accommodating the frame structure, said embossment including a flat wall section lying substantially parallel to the centersill web and integrally united with the remaining portions of the plate by sloping offsets.

26. In a railway car, the combination with a centersill structure including a beam having a vertical web section and an outstanding marginal flange section; of a hopper wall plate at the side of the centersill, said plate having a base portion secured flatwise to the centersill and being extended downwardly therefrom at an incline beyond the centersill flange to present a downwardly depending body portion beyond said centersill flange, and an embossment formed in the plate by a deflection of the margin of said plate presenting a flat wall section disposed outwardly'of and in substantially parallel relation to the said body portion; and a door frame element interposed between the centersill flange and the said outwardly dis posedflat marginal wall section and secured to-the latter.

27. In a rai-lwa including a beam aving a vertical web section; a hopper structure disposed at one side of the centersill, saidhopper having a side wall including three substantially parallel the sill web beyond car having a centersill defining in part one of the walls of the hopper, the transition between said respective flat portions being efiected by inclined wall portions adapted to direct lading from one plane to another, one of said flat portions constituting a base portion for attachment to the centersill, another of said fiat portions being spaced outwardly beyond the said base portion, and another of said flat portions being adjacent the margin of the plate and spaced beyond the remaining portions of the plate; and a door frame element overlying the said last named flat portion and secured thereto. 7 Y

28. In a railway car, the combination with a centersill; of a hopper positioned at one side of said sill and including a discharge opening; a dumpin door hinged adjacent the upper margin 0 the discharge opening; a door frame structure extending around the discharge opening,'said frame structure adjacent the centersill having a portion lying substantially normal to the main plane of the door, and a wall secured to the centersill and forming one of the walls of the hopper, said wall having its marginal portion deflected to present a substantially flat Wall 29. In a railway car, the combination with a centersill structure including a beam member having a vertical web; the side of said sill including inner and outer depending walls and upper and lower sloping walls to provide a discharge opening, said 'inner wall being spaced an 'appreciable distance fromthe centersill web; a beam member extending from the centersill to the side wall and having a portion projecting beyond said side wall, said member cooperating to form one edge of a door frame; and a stirrup structure extending around the sides and bottom of the hopper and forming the other three sides of a discharge openmg, said stirrup structure on the outer'side of the hopper eing extended upwardly in the plane of the projecting portion of the beam and united therewith.

30. In a railway car, the combination with a hopper structure including a centersill, having a beam member including a vertical Web and an outstanding marginal flange; a hopper structure to one side of said center- 8111, said hopper structure above the centersill marginal flange being formed of inclined floors meeting at an angle and presenting two sides' of an inverted pyramidal shaped hopper adapted to direct lading from above the centersill flange to a discharge opening spacedappreciably from the centersill; a hopper frame extendin around the discharge opening and inclu ing a beam member underlying the said hopper inclined floor and extending independently of said floor beyond saidfloor to form a beam spanning the distance intermediate said hopper floor and centersill, said frame having a stirrup-like section extending downwardly from said beam member beyond the outstanding flange of the centersill.

31. In a railway car, the combination with a centersill structure including a beam having a vertical web member and an outstanding flange adjacent the lower margin thereof; a hopper structure to one side of the beam, said hopper structure being defined in part by inner and outer side walls and upper and lower sloping floor walls cooperating with said side walls, said inner side wall above the centersill flange sloping downwardly at an incline to direct lading depending wall portion spaced beyond the centersill, said depending wall (portion forming one s1de of a rame adapte to cooperate with a discharge door.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL.

ited distance independently of the hopper and connected with and underlying the hopper at an appreciable distance from the centersill, said beam member being extended outwardly to the side wall of the hopper;

, and a stirrup section depending from said upper beam member adapted to extend around the bottom and sides of the hopper, said stirrup section being of T-shape throughout the entire length of the sides and bottom walls with thebody portion of the overlying the hopper walls and the stem of the T outstanding; and a discharge door pivotally mounted to the upper beam member and formed with inturned flanges adapted to enclose the said T-shaped frame member on one side of the stem.

32. In a railway car, the combination with a centersill structure; of a centersill beam member having a substantially vertical web and an outstanding flange disposed adjacent the lower margin thereof; a hopper struc: ture disposed to one side of said centersill,

said hopper including a side wall having a section attached to the centersill web and an inclined wall sloping downwardly at an incline beyond the outstanding flange of the centersill; and an upper sloping wall extending transversely of the car and united with the said first named sloping wall to form therewith. two walls of a substantially pyramidal inverted hopper; a frame structure having a beam portion-adapted to underlie the transversely extending wall and extending independently of and beyond the inner sloping wall of the hopper to connectwith the centersill, said frame including a

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