Railway car hatch cover latch
The present railway car hatch cover latch assembly includes a latch plate. One end of the latch assembly rod is affixed to a bracket, with the adjustable end usually comprising an eye at the end of a threaded shaft. The threaded shaft is received in a keeper. The keeper in turn supports and holds a coil spring between the eye and the keeper cap. A bent hooking rod has two upturned ends that hold the end of the coil spring nearest the eye. The center of the bent hooking rod extends from the keeper to form a receiver. A latch plate includes a pivot rod that extends through the receiver of the bent hooking rod. The latch paddle itself contacts and holds the hatch cover is a compressively closed position against the railway car hatch ring.
1. A railway car hatch cover latch assembly comprising
a hatch cover,
a latch plate,
a hatch ring of a railway car,
support brackets having a latch plate support rod,
a shaft having an eye at one end of the shaft,
the latch plate support rod extending through the shaft eye,
a keeper having an open end to receive a second end of the shaft,
the keeper also having a cap end,
a coil spring between the eye of the shaft and the cap end of the keeper,
a hooking rod having two upturned ends that hold an end of the coil spring nearest the eye of the shaft,
a center of the bent hooking rod extending from the keeper cap end to form a receiver,
a latch plate pivot rod extending through the receiver of the bent hooking rod,
wherein the latch plate contacts and holds the hatch cover in a compressively closed position against the hatch ring of the railway car when the latch assembly is closed.
2. The railway car hatch cover latch assembly of claim 1
wherein the second end of the shaft is threaded to allow for an adjustable amount of insertion into the open end of the keeper.
3. The railway car hatch cover latch assembly of claim 1
wherein the coil spring is compressed upon closing of the latch assembly such that the latch plate holds the hatch cover in the compressively closed position.
4. The railway car hatch cover latch assembly of claim 1
wherein the coil spring is un-compressed upon opening of the latch assembly.
5. A railway car hatch cover latch assembly comprising
a hatch cover,
a latch plate,
a hatch ring of a railway car,
support brackets on the hatch ring holding a latch plate support rod,
a shaft having an eye at one end of the shaft,
the latch plate support rod extending through the shaft eye,
a keeper having an open end to receive a second end of the shaft,
the keeper also having a cap end,
a coil spring surrounding the shaft and located between the eye of the shaft and the cap end of the keeper,
a hooking rod having two upturned ends that provide a stop for an end of the coil spring nearest the eye of the shaft,
a center of the bent hooking rod extending from the keeper cap end to form a receiver,
a latch plate pivot rod extending through the receiver of the bent hooking rod,
wherein the latch plate contacts and holds the hatch cover in a compressively closed position against the hatch ring of the railway car when the latch assembly is closed.
6. The railway car hatch cover latch assembly of claim 1
wherein the second end of the shaft is threaded to allow for an adjustable amount of insertion into the open end of the keeper.
7. The railway car hatch cover latch assembly of claim 1
wherein the coil spring is compressed upon closing of the latch assembly such that the latch plate holds the hatch cover in the compressively closed position.
8. The railway car hatch cover latch assembly of claim 1
wherein the coil spring is un-compressed upon opening of the latch assembly.