Hopper Railroad Car Top Hatch Assembly for Remote Icy Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hopper railroad cars require specialized machinery and human intervention for opening and closing the top hatch, which is inefficient and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A top hatch cover assembly with a hatch cover, a hatch cover securer, and multi-action actuators that automatically open and close the hatch, along with icebreaker assemblies to overcome ice buildup, enabling remote operation without external machinery or personnel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual operation with specialized machinery is used to open and close the top hatch, then the hatch can be securely operated, but the process becomes labor-intensive and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses automated actuators to open and close the hatch cover without requiring external specialized machinery or human operators on the roof. The actuators are integrated into the hatch assembly itself, enabling the system to serve itself automatically during loading operations
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operation by workers using specialized machinery is replaced with an automated actuator system that uses electrical or hydraulic actuation to open and close the hatch cover, eliminating the need for human intervention and external equipment
2Reliability
If icebreaker assemblies are added to overcome ice buildup, then the hatch can be opened in icy conditions, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The icebreaker assemblies are positioned to preemptively break ice buildup before it prevents hatch operation. The actuators are configured to engage the icebreaker components during the hatch opening sequence, addressing the ice problem before it becomes a critical obstacle
Solution Approach 2:
The icebreaker assemblies act as intermediary components between the actuator and the hatch cover. They transfer the actuating force to break ice buildup on the hatch or surrounding structures, enabling reliable operation in cold conditions without requiring a completely different actuation system
Data Source
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AI summary
A hopper railroad car top hatch cover assembly (100) including a hatch cover (200) and a hatch cover securer (1000) configured to secure the hatch cover (200) in a closed position engaging a coaming (40) of the hopper railroad car (10).