Sliding gate for a railroad hopper car

摘要

The slide gate includes a closure door for selectively closing a discharge opening at the underside of a hopper car. The closure door is mounted for horizontally sliding movement in a support assembly which is mounted on the underside of the hopper car. The door is movable between at least open, first stage or generally closed, and fully closed positions. A resilient seal is mounted on the support assembly to be deformed by the door in the fully closed position, lightly engaged by the door in the first stage closed position and displaced from the door in the open position. Locking dogs fall by gravity behind the door as it moves toward its closed positions. A first engaging surface on the dogs locks the door in the first stage closed position and a second engaging surface locks it in the fully closed position. A rack and pinion assembly provides a mechanical advantage to assist in moving the door.