| 主权项 |
1. A valve interlock system for use in a railcar, the railcar including a tank and a bottom outlet valve assembly coupled in flow communication with the tank, the tank substantially defining a tank cavity, the bottom outlet valve assembly configured to release product from the tank cavity, the bottom outlet valve assembly including a valve and a valve stem coupled to the valve and extending longitudinally therefrom, said valve interlock system comprising a valve stem locking subsystem comprising:
a coupling device rotatably coupled to the valve stem, said coupling device defining an engagement slot thereon, said coupling device substantially stationary in the longitudinal direction and rotatably translatable about a longitudinal axis; a stationary support member extending toward said valve stem coupling device in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, said stationary support member defining a cavity proximate said coupling device; a locking member at least partially positioned within said cavity, said locking member transversely translatable and complimentary with said engagement slot; a biasing device at least partially positioned within said cavity, said biasing device coupled to said locking member and configured to increase an engagement bias as said locking member is transversely translated away from said engagement slot; and a valve operator assembly configured to rotate said coupling device and the valve stem to open and close the valve, said valve operator assembly comprising a longitudinally and rotatably translatable body configured to regulate the slot engagement bias as a function of a longitudinal position of said body. |
