US2237299A - Hopper bottom car - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1941. .1. D. BENBOW ErAl.

HOPPER BOTTOM CAR Filed Aug. 16, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet l April 8, 1941. J. D. BENBOW ETAL HOPPER BOTTOM CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16. 1957 April 8, 1941. J. D. BENBOW El HOPPER some CAR Filed Aug. 16, 1957 6 Sheets-s 3 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. D. BENBOW ETAL HOPPER BOTTOM CAR Filed Aug. 16, 1957 April 8, 1941.

April 8, 1941. J. D. BENBOW ET AL HOIPER BOTTOM CAR Filed Aug. 16, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ap 1941- J. D. BENBOW ETAL 2.237.299

HOPPER BOTTOM CAR Filed Aug. 16, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Apr. 8, 1941- norrna no'r'rou can James D. Benbow and George W. Sines, Aurora.

aseiznors to Western-Austin Company,

Aurora, 111., a corporation oi Illinois Application August 16, 1937, Serial No. 159.225

230laims.

Our invention relates particularly to hopper type cars with bottom discharge doors mounted on trucks for operation on rails, or hopper containers mounted on wheels with or without rnbber tires for operation on roads and pulled by tractor trucks, in which the doors or gates are controlled by air or any other fluid pressure. In the mining industry, coal mining in particular, the opening and closing of the doors or gates, when dumping the load into ahopper or onto a belt conveyor locatedunder the track on which the cars operate, has been accomplished by mechanical means at the discharge point, and the car or the hopper container mounted on rubber tires could not be used to haul refuse or gob on the return trip to the mines and deposit it where the ore or coal had been removed, as it has been necessary to have the mechanical means located at the place of dumping whenreturning the refuse or gob to the mines, which is impractical because the location of the dump is constantly changing. Our invention permits the opening and closing of the doors or gates at any desired place, thus increasing the usefulness of the hopper car or hopper container mounted on rubber tires. In the drawings only one pair of doors is shown. However, any number of doors can be the trunnion or pivot point of the discharge doors or gates that the load in the hopper car or the hopper container will assist in the opening of the doors or gates after the unlocking of the doors or gates has been accomplished.

Another object of our invention is to provide means for controlling the unlocking or opening of the doors or gates from a remote point on the car.

Another object of this invention is to provide discharge door locking means which'is a part of the pressure cylinder, and the locking means must be unlocked before fluid pressure can be admitted to the cylinder. c

Another object of this inventionis to so locate the pivot points of the discharge doors or gates that they will be self-closing.

Another object of our invention is to provide a fluid pressure cylinder having the locking and unlockingmeans made an integral part of the fluid pressure cylinder, whereby the locking and unlocking of the doors are controlled by admit. ting or releasing the air or fluid pr'essure means into or out of the locking and unlocking means in the cylinder. Fluid pressure means must first be applied to the locking means in the cylinder to unlock the doors before it can be applied to the cylinder. By exhausting the fluid pressure, the

locking means will engage the piston rod of the cylinder when the piston rod of the cylinder is in an extended position.

Another object of our invention is to provide a fluid pressure cylinder having a piston and piston rod mounted therein and a valve located in the lower cylinder head with a spring actuated locking means and fluid pressure unlocking means, which engages the piston rods to hold the doors closed when the piston rod is in an extended position. The locking device is so designed that air or any fluid pressure cannot be admitted to the fluid pressure cylinderuntil the locking means has been disengaged from the piston rod,

, mechanical locking means to lock.the door in a Another object of our invention is to provide means for controlling'the unlocking, or the opening andclosing of the doors or gates from a tractor truck or locomotive by the tractor operator or the locomotive engineer.

Another object of our invention is to provide means whereby the air or fluid pressure means must first unlock the doors or gates before the air or fluid pressure is applied to the door opening means.

Another object of our invention is to provide means whereby the piston rod can be adjusted as to length to provide for wear, or variations in shop practices.

closed position and fluid pressure means to unlock and open the doors, and a method of mounting the doors on the container so as to make them self-closing.

Further objects of this invention are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efllciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will-later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

, The invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while we have shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of our invention.

In the drawings:

*tainer mounted on rubber tires, showing Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hopper car mounted on standard railroad trucks.

'Figure 2 is a cross section of the car, or container, with the doors in a closed position.

Figure 3 is a cross section or the car, or container, with the doors in an open position.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic drawing showing the piping oi the control mean for unlocking,

vMining and closing the doors.

Figure 5 is a cross section: of the operating or control valve.

Figure 64s a cross section of the cylinders when the doors are in locked position.

Figure 7 is a cross section'of the cylinders when the doors are in open position.

Figure 8 is a cross section of the door locking valve when the air, or fluid pressure, is being exhausted.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the hopper, or container mounted on wheels or rubber tires and tractor truck for operation on roads,

I and unlocking valve shown in Figure 12.

piston rod II has groove 20 which is engaged by lock pin or piston rod 25 of valve 9 to hold ti" doors 4 in a closed or locked position. The low portion or cylinder head 18 has a groove I22 to receive gasket I24 and body 19 of cylinder 8 and is bolted by bolts Hi to flange 123 of cylinder 8.

Cyiindenhead 18 contains the'valve 9 and also has brass bushing I29 and leather air or oil seal I21 and dirt seal I29, which are held in place by plate I29 with tap screws I39, and is used as a guide for the piston rod 19. The lower portion 28 of piston rod I0 is threaded to receive a T- shaped tapped nut 29 having holes 19 to receive pins ii, the T-shaped nut 29 being tapped to receive the lower threaded portion 28 of piston rod ll, which provides adjustment for wear as well as adjustment for the length of the stroke of piston rod I I. Set screw I2! is provided to prevent the turning of T-shaped nut 29 on the lower' threaded portion 22 of piston rod 10.

The valve 9 in the lower portion of cylinder head ll consists of a lock pin or piston rod 25 which is upset and threaded to receive washer l1 and packing cup II which are held together by nut l9 and lock nut 29. Tube 2| is pressed in the body of valve 9 and has a series of holes 22 in the periphery of the tube to permit air to flow from the inlet 25 thru the series of holes 22 into cylinder 8. When air or other fluid pressure means is admitted to the cylinder 8 through valve 9 at the inlet 35, it moves the lock pin or piston rod 25 of valve 9 'outward in guide nut 22 thru hole Referring to the drawings, the car hopper and underframe I, having sides 2, ends 3 and doors 4,

- are supported on the draftbeams 4 and bolsters I by trucks I, which may be of any suitable design for operation on rails of any desirable track gauge.

Doors 4 are supported and carried by arms l4 which are attached to each end of doors 4 and are hung from the ends 2 by pins it, which permits the oscillation of doors 4 for the opening and closing of the bottom of the hopper I. The opening and closing of doors 4 is accomplished by cylinders I which are attached to the sides 2 by pins l2. Piston rods Ill of cylinder 8 are attached to the doors 4 by pins l I.

By referring to Figures 2' and 3, you will note that the doors 4 are so hung or supported on the ends 3 of the hopper I as to be self-closing. Also,

24, compressing spring lit and unlocking the piston rod ll of cylinder 8 as shown in-Figure 7. The air or other fluid pressure means is then free to flow thru the holes 22 into the body of the cylinder and will cause the piston 21 and piston rod III to move upward to the position shown in Figure '7, when air pressure is released from the inlet 35 oi. the valve 9, look pin or piston rod 25 and spring lid of the valve 9 return to the position shown in Figure 8 and the air from the cylinder 0 is released thru the holes 22 and into the atmosphere thru the holes I20 oi the nut 23 instead of returning thru inlet 35. The piston 21 and piston god I II are thus permitted to return the doors 4 to the normal position very quickly and the spring ill moves lockpin or piston rod 25 to engage the piston rod I II as shown in Figure 6, which is the locked or closed position oi the doors 4.

to the ends 3 are towards the outside 01' the cenbody or sides 2. Piston rod II is attached to piston 21 by the threaded portion 12 or the piston rod II and is prevented from turning, after being screwed in place in piston 21, by pin 14. Packing cup I! is applied to piston 21 and held in place by piston follower I6 and cap screws 11. T

The doors 4 have projections 30 with athreaded portion 32 to receive the threaded pin I iwith adlusting nut 93, which prevents the rotation of pin Ii but allows the T-shaped nut 29 to oscillate on I each of the pins H. Pins i i are provided with an Alemite fitting and a hole 34 full length thereof to oil or grease the end of pins which engage the T-shaped nut 29 in the recessed hole 19. Other methods of adjusting the length ot'the piston rod Hi can be used and come within the scope of our claims.

The control or 3-way valve 49, a cross section of which-is shown in Figure 5, is similar to the control valve shown and more fullydescribed in 8|, packing cup 82' and retaining washer 88, all held together by bolt 84 which is screwed into a threaded portion of piston rod 8| as shown in Figure 5. The spring 85 holds the piston III in the safety position shown in Figure until the. .pressure applied to lever 4| moves the piston I88 upward and packing cup 82 covers exhaust ports I84, compressing spring 85 to permit air to flow thruthe inlet 6 and holes 88 into the body of the control or 3-way valve 48 and thru hole 88 to outlet 81. I

Automatic valve is shown in cross section in Figure 11 and a similar automatic valve 44A is shown in Figure 14. A more complete description'is given in Letters Patent No. 1,481,781 issued to J. D. Benbow January 29, 1924,, and it is body 88 by bolts 88. The complete piston 88 consists of packing follower 53, packing cup 52 and spacer 48, packing cup 8| and spacer 82, packing cup 8l-A and washer 58, which are connected by bolt 5| and nut 58, forming one unit (piston 86) for movement in the valve body 88. Valve body 88 has brass tube 51 pressed therein and has three series of holes 58,88 and 84 located in the periphery thereof. The inlet 45 is connected to the auxiliary air reservoir 86, thereby maintaining constant air pressure above the packing By the operation of control or 8-way valve 48 (see Fig. 4), moving handle 4| to thedottcd position 42, air from reservoir-88 will flow through control or 3-way valve 48 to the lower portion 54 of automatic valve 44 (see Figs. 11 and 14) thru inlet 85, which forces the piston 88 upward and permits air from reservoir 86 to flow in thru the holes 84 and out through the holes 83 to outlet 41. Returning the valve handle 4| of the control or 3-way valve 4|! to its normal position releases the pressure in the lower portion 54 of the automatic valve 44 and the spring 81, combined with the air pressure above the packing 8|-A, forces the piston 86 downward 'to the position shown in Figure 11 and the air will be exhausted from the outlet 41 back thru the holes 88 and outwardly to the atmosphere thru the holes 58 and 88.

Referring to Figures 12, .13 and 14, which illustrate another method of locking and unlocking the doors 4, automatic valve 44-A, a cross section of which is shown in Figure 14, is similarly constructed to automatic valve 44 shown in Figure 11, except that the bottom head 54 is changed as shown by 54-A of Figure 14. The.

bolt 6| of the automatic valve 44-A is similar to bolt 5| of automatic valve 44 except that it ismade longer and extends thru leather, oil or air seals 58 in the lower head 54-A and has the and unlocking mechanism as shown in Figures' 12, 13 and 14. Automatic valve 44A is located between ,the two partition plates 84 (see Figs. 12 and 13) and fastened thereto by bolts 88 which pm thru the lower portion 54-A of automatic valve 44-A. The door locking arms 62 are attached to the partition plates 64 at ends 46 by pins 88, which permits the oscillation of the' door locking arms 82 for locking and unlocking doors 4. Door locking arms 82 have vertical slotted holes 88 and they are attached to bolt 8| at jaws 88 by pins 68. The door locking arms 62 have projections 61 which engage the doors 4 at the lugs 88 which are provided for adjustment of wear. Door locking arms 62 are provided with extensions 88 which project thru the sides 2 to permit manual unlocking of the doors 4 should some part of the automatic valve 44-A fail to operate.

Referring to Figures 1, 4 and 5 and also to Figure 11 for cross section of automatic valve 44, mounted on the car underframe is auxiliary air reservoir 38 which is charged thru some outside source, such as'a locomotive having an air pump, thru'the pipe line 81, which has valve 88 for cutting off the air supply when the car is to be disconnected, and check valve 88 which prevents air from returning from auxillary air -reservoir 86. Control or 3-way valve 48 is mounted at some convenient place on either side ofthe car underframe having valve handle 4|, which, when depressed to the dotted lines 42, allows the air to flow from auxiliary air reservoir 88thru pipe line 81 through inlet |6 to the control or 3-way. valve 48 and pipe line 48 to the lower end 54 .of the automatic valve 44. Pipe line 45 is connected to the upper part of automatic valve 44 and to auxiliary air reservoir 88, thereby keeping a constant pressure of air on the upper end of the automatic valve 44. When air is applied by the movement of valve handle 4| to the position 42, it forces the piston 88 in automatic valve upward and permits the air to flow from the auxiliary air reservoir 38 thru automatic valve 44 to pipe 41, thru T 48 and thru pipe lines 48 to the valve 8 of the cylinders 8 on either side of the car body, unlocking piston rod l8 and causing piston 21 and piston rod l8 to open doors'4. When the valve handle 4| is returned from position 42 to the full line position of valve handle, the air is exhausted from the lower portion of automatic valve 44, which allows the return of piston 88 to its normal position and the air in pipe lines 48 is exhausted from valve 8 thru the pipe line 48 and 41 to automatic valve 44 and thru the holes 58 and 88, which are a series of holes in the periphery of tube 51 and body 88 of automatic valve 44, to the atmosphere, permitting the lock pin or piston rod 25 to return to the position shown in Figure 8. Packing cup l8 uncovers holes 22 and allows the air in cylinder 8 to flow to the atmosphere thru exhaust holes I28, and piston 21, piston rod I8 and lock pin or piston rod 25 return to the normal position ence to the hopper container |-A and the tires jaw 68 attached for operating a door locking ill. The parts which are similar to the hopper car shown in Figure 1 are given the same reference numbers and the opening and closing of the doors 4 is accomplished by the cylinders 8 in a similar manner to the opening and closing of the doors 4 in the hopper car I mounted on railroad trucks 5.

Referring to Figure 11, the dotted lines 8 a portion 54 of automatic valve 44.

having inlet III, outlet III, exhaust III and valve handle III, and is mounted in the cab ,01 the truck III as shown in Figure 9. III repre- The .valve III can be control valve II or an ordinary 3-way valve sents air pump located on the truck III, which is power driven and is usually connected to-the engine of the truck III by a flexible belt. The air pump IIII charges the air, reservoir III from which the air pressure is drawn tocharge the auxiliary air reservoir II located in the front end or the h pper container I-A thru pipe I II, III and chec valve 39. Theair pressure in the auxiliary air reservoir 36 is prevented from returning to the atmosphere by check valve II, in the event the automatic hose connector III is disconnected. I

By moving the valve handle III of the 3-way valve" III to the dotted position III, air will flow from the air reservoir"! thru pipe IIII,

into the inlet Ill and the outlet III of the valve III, thru pipe III, thru the automatic connector III, thru pipe II into inlet 95 to the lower The air pressure will force the piston II upward, permittingthe air to flow from the auxiliary air reservoir" thru pipe" to the upper part of the automatic valve II thru the series of holes 94 and II, thru outlet .41, thru pipe 49 to the valves I of the cylinders I at inlets 35, moving the lock pin or piston rod 2' outward, unlocking piston rod II of cylinder I and permitting the air to flow thru the holes 22 into the body of the cylinder I and force the piston 21 and piston rod II upward to the position shown in Figure 7, thus opening the doors 4.

the doors I and hold the same in locked position.

Releasing the oil pressure from the upper end oi ders, each door can be locked and unlocked indeplurality of discharge doors, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons, piston rods and piston rod locking and unlocking means mounted in the said 1 fluid pressure cylinders mounted on the sides of said hopper bottom dump car, said piston rods connected to said discharge doors, control means mounted on said hopper bottom dump car to control the admission of fluid pressure to unlock and open said discharge doors and to allow said bottom dump car, fluid pressure cylinders with The closing of the doors is accomplished by returning the valve handle III from the dotted position II I to the full line position shown in Figure 11, thus exhausting the air from the pipe lines III and II and from the lower portion 54 of the automatic valve 44, which permits the piston II to return'to the original position as shown in Figure 11. Thereby, the air is allowed to flow thru the pipe lines 49 and." into the atmosphere thru the exhaust holes II of the automatic valve II, thus permitting the lock pin or piston, rod 25 of the valve I to return to the position shown in Figure 8 and releasing the air from the cylinder I thru the holes 22 into the atmosphere thru the holes III or the nut 23. The piston 21 and piston rod II are thus permitted to return the doors I to the normal position and the spring lift causes lock pin or piston rod II to engage the groove 28 of the piston rod II as shown in Figure 5,

which is ;the locked or closed position oi the doors I.

Other methods may be used to open and close the doors 4, such as oil pressure using a 4-way valve instead of the 3-way'or control valves III and III and an hydraulic pump with power means connected to the traction engine for operating the pump. Piston 2! of cylinder I can be supplied with an additional packing cup inthe reverse oi' the position of packing cup ll, having two pipe lines leading from the control valve II or III and connecting the upper and lower ends of cylinder I. Admitting oil under pressure to the upper end of piston 21 of cylinder I, will close pistons, piston" rods, automatic door locking means and fluid pressure unlocking means mounted in said cylinders pivotally mounted on the sides of said hopper bottom dump car, said piston rods connected to said discharge doors, control means on said hopper bottom dump car to control the admission oi fluid pressure to the said fluid pressure cylinders and said fluid pressure door unlocking means to unlock said automaticdoor locking means which contacts the said doors to close, and the said automatic door looking means to engage the said piston rods and lock the said doors in a closed position. v

3. In a hopper bottom dump car, in combination, discharge doors mounted on .said hopper bottom dump car, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons and piston rods mounted therein mounted on said hopper bottom dump car, said piston rods connected to said discharge doors, means mounted in said pressure cylinders to engage and lock position. a

4. In a hopper bottom dump car having selfclosing sidewise swinging doors pivotally mounted on the ends of said hopper bottom dump car to close the hopper opening, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons, piston rods, automatic piston rod locking means and fluid pressure unlocking means mounted in said fluid pressure cylinders mounted on the sides of said hopper bottom dump oar, said piston rods connected to said doors, control means on said hopper bottom dump car to control the admission of fluid pressure to said fluid pressure-unlocking means and cylinders to unlock and open-the said doors and to release fluid pressure in said cylinders and said fluid pressure unlocking means and allow the force of gravity to close said doors and the said automatic locking means operate and lock said doors in pressure cylinders mounted on the hopper sides of said hopper bottom dump car, said piston rods connected to said doors, means mounted on said hopper bottom dump car to control the admission and release or fluid pressure which actuates the pistons and spring actuated piston rod looking means and said fluid pressure cylinders to unlock, open, close and lock the said doors.

6. In a railway dump car or container, hav

ingdischarge doors, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons and piston rods. mounted therein mounted on said car or container, said piston rods connected to said doors, spring actuated door looking means engaging said piston rods to hold said doors closed, fluid pressure unlocking means mounted in the cylinder head of the said fluid pressure cylinders, control means on said dump car or container to control the admission of fluid pressure to said fluid pressure unlocking means and said cylinders to unlock and open the said doors and to release the fluid pressure in the said fluid pressure cylinders and the said fluid pressure unlocking means to allow said doors to close and the said spring actuated door locking means to lock said doors in a closed position.

7. In a hopper bottom dump car, having selfclosing sidewise swinging doors pivotally mounted on the hopper ends of said hopper bottom dump car, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons and piston rods mounted therein mounted on said hopper bottom dump car, said piston rods connected I to said doors, spring actuated door locking means engaging said piston rods and fluid pressure unlocking means mounted in the cylinder heads of the said fluid pressure cylinders, control means on the said hopper bottom dump car to control the admission or fluid pressure to said fluid pressure in locking means and said fluid pressure cylinders to unlock and open the said doors and to control the release of the fluid pressure in the said fluid pressure cylinders and the said unlocking means and allow the said doors to close and the said spring actuated door locking means to engage the extended said piston rod and lock the said doors in a closed position.

8. In a hopper container, in combination, supporting means for said hopper container for movement over the road, tractor truck connected to said hopper container supporting means, said closed, remote control means to control the unlocking of said power locking means and said power opening means to open said doors.

10. A hopper container with supporting means for movement over the ground, in combination, a pair of gravity closing doors swingably supported at the ends oi! said hopper container, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons, piston rods and piston rod locking mechanism mounted in'said cylinders mounted on said hopper container, said piston rods connected to said doors, control means to control the movement oi! fluid pressure to the said piston rod locking mechanism and fluid pressure cylinders and control the movements of the said pistons and locking mechanisms when opening and closing said doors.

11. In a container having sloping sides and ends with openings at the-bottom thereof, in combination, supporting means for said container for movement over the road, doors pivotally mounted at the ends of the said container to close said openings, fluid pressure cylinders having pistons,

wadjustably and pivotally connected to said dis-,

ing fluid connection means to said hopper con- 1 in combination, multiple doors at the bottom of said container, power opening and closing means attached to said hopper container and to said doors, power locking means attached to said power opening and closing means to hold said doors piston rods and locking means for said piston rods mounted in said cylinders mounted on the sides or said container, said piston rods connected to said doors, and said piston rod locking means engages and locks the said piston rods in the extended position to hold the doors closed.

12. In a railway hopper bottom dump car, a plurality of discharge doors, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons, piston rods and door locking means mounted therein pivotally mounted on said hopper bottom dump car, said piston rods are charge doors, control means mounted on said .hopper bottom dump car to control the admission of fluid pressure to said door locking means and said cylinders to unlock the door locking means and open said doors.

13. In a hopper bottom container with bottom openings, supporting means for said container for movement over the road, self-closing doors to close said bottom opening swingably mounted on the ends of said container, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons and piston rods mounted therein swingably mounted on the sides of said container, one end of said piston rods pivotally connected to said doors, fluid pressure door unlocking means and automatic door locking means mounted on said container, said automatic door locking means locks said doors when said doors are in a closed position, control means on said hopper bottom container supporting means to control the admission of fluid pressure from the fluid pressure reservoir mounted on said supporting means, to the-said door unlocking means to unlock said doors and to said cylinders to open said doors and to control the release of said fluid pressure to allow said doors to close and automatically lock.

14. A hopper container with bottom openings, in combination, supporting means for movement of said hopper container over the ground, gravity closing bottom doors to close said bottom open,- ings swingably mounted on said container, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons and adjustable piston rods mounted therein swingably mounted on said container, said piston rods pivotally connected to said doors, fluid pressure unlocking and locking means mounted in the heads oi. said cylinders with means to engage said piston rods when in an extended position to hold said doors in a closed position, control means mounted on said container supporting. means to control the admission of fluid pressure to said unlocking means tohold said doors in a closed position, remote fluid pressure control means having fluid pressure connection to said locking and unlocking means and said cylinders to control the unlocking and opening of said doors and to release the fluid pressure and allow the doors to close and lock.

16. A hopper container having bottom discharge doors mounted on the ends thereoi with supporting means for movement of said container inders with pistons and piston rods pivotally mounted on the sides of said hopper bottom container, door locking and unlocking means mounted in the cylinder heads of said fluid pressure' cylinders, said piston rods pivotally connected to said bottom discharge doors, remote means to control the unlocking and the admission of fluid pressure to the said fluid pressure cylinders to open said doors, and to control the releasing oi fluid pressure in said fluid pressure cylinders to allow .said doors to close and be locked.

' 20. A hopper bottom container with bottom openings and means to support and move said hopper bottom container, in combination,- discharge doors mounted on said hopper bottom container to close said bottom openings, fluid pres,- sure, cylinders with pistons and piston rods mounted therein mounted on said hopper bottom over the road, in combination, a self-propelling power unit attached to said container, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons, piston rods and door locking and unlocking means. mounted therein swingably mounted on the sides of said container,

said piston rods pivotally connected to said doors, control means mounted on said propelling unit having fluid pressure connection to said door locking and unlocking means and to said cylinders to control the unlocking and opening or said doors and allow said doors to close and lock.

17. A hopper container having self-closing bottom discharge doors with supporting means for movement of said container over the road, in combination, fluid pressure unlocking and automatic locking means mounted at the bottom of said hopper container above said doors and said locking means contacting said doors, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons and piston rods mounted therein swingably mounted on the sides or said hopper container, one end of said piston rods pivotally connectedto said doors, fluid pressure control means mounted on said hopper container supporting means having fluid pressure connection to said unlocking means and to said cylinders to control the unlocking and opening 01' the said doors and to release said fluid pressure to automatically close and lock said doors. 1

' 18. A hopper container having swinging doo mounted at the bottom thereof, in combination, rolling supporting means formovement of said hopper container, a self-propelled traction unit having an operator's station mounted thereon attached to said supporting means, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons, piston rods, spring locking means and fluid pressure unlocking means mounted therein swingably mounted on the sides of said container, said piston rods pivotally connected to said doors, said spring lockingmeans engaging said piston rods when doors are closed, automatic valves to admit fluid pressure 'to the unlocking means and cylinders mounted on said container supporting means, fluid pressure control valves mounted at said operator's station of said traction unit having fluid pressure connectcontainer, said piston rods connected to'said discharge doors, means mounted in said pressure cylinders toengage and lock said piston rods when said piston rods are in an extended position to hold said doors in a. closed position.

21. A hopper bottom container with bottom openings and means to support andmove said hopper bottom container, in combination, discharge doors mounted on said hopper bottom container toclose said bottomopenings, fluid pressure cylinders with pistons and piston rods mounted therein mounted on said hopper bottom container, said piston rods connected to said discharge doors, means mounted in said pressure cylinders to engage and lock said piston rods when said piston rods are in an extended position to hold said doors in a closed position,

remote control means to control the unlocking or. v said door locking means and permit fluid pressure to enter the said fluid pressure cylinders and open said doors, and to control the release of fluid pressure from said fluid pressure cylinders and permit the doors to close and be locked.

22. In a hopper bottom container with swingable doors to close the bottom -01 said hopper bottom container, in combination, means to support and move said hopper bottom container, fluid pressure cylinders having pistons, piston rods, locking and unlocking means mounted in said cylinders mounted on the said hopper bottom container, said piston rods connected to said doors, means to control the unlocking and admit fluid pressure to said cylinders to open said ddors, and to control the releasing of thefluid pressure from said cylinders to allow the doors to close andbe locked.

'23. In a hopper bottom container with swingable doorsto close the bottom of said hopper bottom container, in combination, meansto support and move said hopper bottom container, fluid pressure cylinders having pistons, piston rods, spring locking and fluid pressure unlocking means mounted in said cylinders mounted on said hop- 1 per bottom ,container, said piston rods connected.-

ing means to said automatic valves, unlocking to said doors, means to control the admission oi fluid pressure to the saidunlocking means and said cylinders to open said doors and to control the release or said fluid pressure in said cylinders and unlocking means to allow the doors to close and the said spring locking means to lock said,

door in a closed position.

' JAMES D. BENBOW.

GEORGE W. SINES.

Images