Importance

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Abstract

A restraint assembly for the door-actuating means of a railroad hopper car. The door-actuating means is shifted by the piston of a fluid cylinder between door-closing and door-opening positions. The restraint mechanism comprises a first bracket mounted on the center sill and rotatively supporting a shaft on which a lever is mounted. The free end of the lever is pivotally joined to a first end of a spring assembly. The second end of the spring assembly is pivotally mounted to a second bracket affixed to the center sill. One end of the shaft has a notch formed therein. The door-actuating means has a laterally extending lug. When the door-actuating means is in its retracted door-closing position the restraint assembly will be in an over center restraining condition. Abutment of the door-actuating means lug against the shaft notch will prevent longitudinal shifting of the door-actuating means due to inertia. Shifting of the actuating means by the cylinder to its door-opening position will cause the abutment of the lug and the shaft notch to result in shifting of the restraint assembly to its non-restraining position and the door-actuating means lug no longer abuts the shaft notch. The door-actuating means is free to shift to its door-opening position. When the cylinder is actuated to shift the door-actuating means to its door-closing position, the door-actuating means lug engages the restraint shaft notch causing the assembly to return to its restraining position.

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First Claim