Granted Patent B2

US 6,883,436 · App. 10/446,944 · Granted Apr 26, 2005

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A rail ballast wing assembly, comprising:

an outer door with at least one hinge edge;

a template door pivotably secured to said at least one hinge edge;

positioning means associated with said outer door and said template door for maintaining an angular orientation of said template door to said outer door;

a breakaway mechanism connected to said positioning means and said template door and configured for temporarily disengaging said template door from said positioning means upon exposure to impact forces, and upon said disengagement, said template door is configured to remain pivotably connected to said outer door.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said positioning means is at least one fluid power cylinder secured at a first end to said outer door and at a second end to said template door so that changes in pressurization of said cylinder change the angular orientation of said template door to said outer door.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said second end of said fluid power cylinder is connected to said template door through said breakaway mechanism.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said breakaway mechanism is connected to said template door with at least one shear pin.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said breakaway mechanism includes a plate pivotable relative to at least one of said outer door and said template door, and being configured to form a breakaway connection with said template door.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said positioning means is a fluid power cylinder connected at one end to said outer door, and at a second end to said plate.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said plate is connected to said template door by at least one shear pin.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said template door is provided with a bracket defining a space for receiving said plate, and said plate is secured to said bracket by said at least one shear pin.

9. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said plate is pivotable relative to said template door and to said outer door, and pivots about a pivot axis formed by the junction of said template door and said outer door.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said template door is provided with a plurality of spaced, aligned hinge bores, at least one of which has a transversely extending reinforcement tab for fastening to said template door.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein each said tab has a generally planar attachment surface configured for engaging a generally planar front surface of said template door.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said template door is provided on a rear surface with a laterally extending support plate.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said support plate is substantially as wide as said template door, and has a height at least half a height of said template door.

14. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein said template door further includes a forward projecting reinforcing plate.

15. The assembly of claim 1 further including a top pin secured along an upper edge of said outer door, said top having a radially projecting upper lip and a top plate pivotably secured to said top pin by at least one retaining plate sandwiching said lip between said retaining plate and said top plate.

16. A template door configured for connection to an outer door of a rail ballast wing assembly having at least one hinge edge, said template door pivotably secured to said at least one hinge edge, a positioning means associated with the outer door and said template door for maintaining an angular orientation of said template door to the outer door, and a breakaway mechanism connected to the positioning means and said template door and configured for temporarily disengaging said template door from the positioning means upon exposure to impact forces, said template door comprising:

a main panel having a front side, a rear side, a free edge and a hinge edge;

a plurality of spaced, axially aligned hinge bores, each secured to said hinge edge with a transversely extending reinforcement tab for fastening to said template door;

at least one attachment point for receiving a positioning means for positioning the angular orientation of said template door to the outer door and

a bracket projecting from said rear side and defining a space for receiving a breakaway plate, said bracket being configured for securing the plate by at least one shear pin.

17. The template door of claim 16 , wherein said front side is generally planar and said tab has a generally planar attachment surface configured for engaging said generally planar front side of said template door.

18. The template door of claim 16 further including a laterally extending support plate.

19. The template door of claim 18 wherein said support plate is substantially as wide as said template door, and has a height at least half a height of said template door.

20. The template door of claim 16 further including a forward projecting reinforcing plate located along an upper edge of said template door.

21. An outer door for use with a rail ballast regulator having a boom and wing assembly with at least one said outer door having at least one template door pivotable relative to each said at least one outer door and a positioning means associated with said outer door and the template door for maintaining an angular orientation of the template door to said outer door, and a breakaway mechanism connected to the positioning means and the template door and configured for temporarily disengaging the template door from the positioning means upon exposure to impact forces, said outer door comprising:

a main wall having a front surface, a rear surface and a pair of hinge edges;

a generally perpendicularly disposed shoulder plate secured to an upper edge of said main wall;

a top pin secured to and projecting from said shoulder plate, said top pin having a radially extending upper lip defining a space between said lip and said shoulder plate; and

a plurality of spaced, axially aligned hinge bores, secured to each said hinge edge with a transversely extending reinforcement tab for fastening to said wall, said hinge bores constructed and arranged for engaging corresponding bores on template doors associated with said outer door.

22. The outer door of claim 21 further including a hinge bore in said shoulder plate in registry with said axially aligned hinge bores.

23. The outer door of claim 21 further including pivot stops projecting from said rear surface for limiting the pivot action of the at least one template door.

24. The outer door of claim 21 further including a top plate pivotably secured to said lip by at least one retainer bracket which sandwiches said lip between said top plate and said bracket.

25. The outer door of claim 21 further including a mounting point for securing one end of a positioning means connected to a corresponding one of the template doors for adjusting and maintaining the position of the at least one template door relative to said outer door.

26. A rail ballast wing assembly, comprising:

a outer door with at least one hinge edge;

a template door pivotably secured to said at least one hinge edge;

positioning means associated with said outer door and said template door for maintaining an angular orientation of said template door to said outer door;

a breakaway mechanism connected to said positioning means and said template door and configured for temporarily disengaging said template door from said positioning means upon exposure to impact forces, and

said breakaway mechanism includes a plate pivotable relative to at least one of said outer door and said template door, and being configured to form a breakaway connection with said template door.

Assignments (8)