US 8166892

US Patent 8,166,892: Railroad Gondola Car Structure and Mechanism Therefor

Title: Railroad gondola car structure and mechanism therefor

Assignee: National Steel Car Ltd.

Inventors: James W. Forbes, Marcus Thiesen, Dave Keats

Filing Date: September 14, 2009

Issue Date: May 1, 2012

Abstract: A railroad gondola car is described, featuring a hopper situated between two trucks. This hopper incorporates convergent end and side slope sheets that direct material to a bottom discharge. The discharge is controlled by a pair of longitudinal doors, operated by a mechanical transmission with a set of linkages connected to a reciprocating pneumatic cylinder. These linkages are generally parallel to the slope sheet. The car also boasts a very short draft installation, including a removable coupler carrier bar, and the main shear plate has a removable panel for draft gear installation. A machinery space is located above the end section shear plate, overhung by the slope sheet, and is substantially unobstructed by other primary structures. Within this space, the pneumatic cylinder is mounted at an angle, oriented longitudinally over the draft sill beneath the main drag link of the mechanical transmission, and above the main pivot of the transmission's driving input lever. The main lever is bifurcated, straddling the pneumatic cylinder. The mechanism includes a primary over-center lock and a compact secondary lock that operates sideways. The car's sidewalls feature vertical stiffeners and side sheets, where the lower portion of the side sheets is laterally inboard of the stiffener web, and the upper portion is laterally outboard. The hopper's side slope sheet meets the sidewall at the transition point where the sidewall sheet changes from an inside-the-post to an outside-the-post configuration.

Independent Claim Overview:

Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a railroad hopper car with a hopper having a bottom discharge and a movable door. The car travels on railroad tracks. The hopper includes at least one end slope sheet that angles downward towards the door. A linkage connected to the door is oriented lengthwise. A drive mechanism connected to this linkage urges the door closed. The key feature is that when the linkage moves from the open to the closed position, the drag link within the linkage either predominantly moves parallel to the end slope sheet or is instantaneously parallel to it at some point.

Independent Claim 13: This claim outlines a railroad hopper car with a movable gate for bottom discharge. The car has an actuating cylinder that drives a door operating linkage, both oriented lengthwise. The distinctive feature is that the axis of reciprocation of the actuating cylinder is tilted, meaning its movement includes a vertical component.

Independent Claim 22: This claim also pertains to a railroad hopper car with a movable gate for bottom discharge, carried on trucks. It features a door operating linkage and an actuating cylinder, both oriented lengthwise. A key aspect is that the door operating linkage includes a first pivot arm pivotally mounted to the first end section of the car at a first pivot connection. A mechanical transmission, which includes at least a drag link, connects this first pivot arm to the gate. The unique characteristic is that the first pivot connection is located lower than the actuating cylinder when viewed from the side.

Independent Claim 25: This claim describes a railroad hopper car with a hopper having upstanding sidewalls and convergent slope sheets leading to a lower discharge. The car has a side sill and a top chord, with the sidewall extending between them. A predominantly upwardly running sidewall stiffener is mounted to the sidewall, located intermediate the trucks. The claim specifies that the lower portion of the sidewall stiffener is laterally outboard of the lower region of the sidewall, while the upper portion of the stiffener is laterally inboard of the upper region of the sidewall. The sidewall itself has a continuous section between these regions, and the stiffener maintains web continuity between its upper and lower portions.

Independent Claim 30: This claim covers a railroad hopper car with a bottom discharge governed by a movable door. The car has a door operating linkage oriented lengthwise, driven by an actuating cylinder also oriented lengthwise. The door operating linkage includes a pair of first and second linkage members mounted on either side of the actuating cylinder, effectively "bracketing" it.

Independent Claim 41: This claim presents a railroad hopper car with a bottom discharge door and a mechanical transmission connected to it, oriented lengthwise. A door actuator urges the door closed. The car includes a first lock to prevent the door from opening when the actuator is inactive, and a second lock to prevent opening if the first lock fails. The crucial element of the second lock is that its movement between engaged and disengaged positions is predominantly cross-wise to the reciprocating direction of the door actuator.

Independent Claim 49: This claim focuses on a lock mechanism for a door actuating transmission of a railroad gondola car, which includes a reciprocating actuating cylinder. The lock mechanism has a body with three fittings: a first fitting for mounting to a datum structure, a second fitting (either a cam or cam follower) for interacting with the door actuating transmission, and a third fitting with an abutment. The third fitting moves between a first (obstructing) position and a second position, and the second fitting intercepts a transmission member to be deflected. The first fitting allows movement that constrains the third fitting to move predominantly cross-wise to the axial direction of the cylinder.

Independent Claim 55: This claim describes a railroad hopper car for carrying particulate material, with a hopper suspended between first and second end sections. The hopper has a discharge section and end slope sheets feeding it. The first end section includes a draft sill, a main bolster, and a shear plate mounted over them. The first end slope sheet of the hopper overhangs this shear plate, and a key feature is that the machinery space directly above the shear plate under the overhang of the first slope sheet is free of primary structure.

Independent Claim 59: This claim details a railroad freight car body with a draft sill, a draft gear pocket, and a shear plate overlying the draft sill, acting as an upper flange. The draft sill has an inboard end towards a truck center and an outboard end with a striker. An access opening is formed in the underside of the draft sill to admit draft gear from below. The car includes a removable draft gear carrier plate mounted to the underside of the draft sill. This carrier plate's removability permits draft gear installation. Additionally, the claim specifies either an aperture in the shear plate for draft gear protrusion during installation, or a removable coupler carrier seat in the draft sill that supports a coupler shank when installed. The patent asserts the car has both of these features.

CAFC 2026 Dockets Search:

A search of CAFC 2026 dockets for patent number 8166892 did not return any results. This indicates that as of April 26, 2026, there are no publicly recorded cases directly referencing US patent 8166892 in the CAFC 2026 docket. The Google Patents information notes "Family has litigation" with a PTAB case IPR2025-01046 filed (Pending - Instituted) and a US case filed in Delaware District Court (1:24-cv-00594), but these are not CAFC dockets for 2026. Therefore, there is no authoritative information about 2026 CAFC litigation for this specific patent number from the provided search results.## US Patent 8,166,892: Railroad Gondola Car Structure and Mechanism Therefor

Title: Railroad gondola car structure and mechanism therefor

Assignee: National Steel Car Ltd.

Inventors: James W. Forbes, Marcus Thiesen, Dave Keats

Filing Date: September 14, 2009

Issue Date: May 1, 2012

Abstract: A railroad gondola car is described, featuring a hopper situated between two trucks. The hopper incorporates convergent end and side slope sheets that direct material to a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a pair of longitudinal doors. The door closing mechanism is a mechanical transmission that includes a set of linkages running from the door to a reciprocating pneumatic cylinder. These linkages run generally parallel to the slope sheet. The car has a very short draft installation that includes a removable coupler carrier bar, and the main shear plate has a removable draft gear installation panel. There is a machinery space above the end section shear plate. It is overhung by the slope sheet that is substantially unobstructed by any other primary structure. The pneumatic cylinder is mounted on an angle in this unobstructed machinery space, oriented longitudinally over the draft sill beneath the main drag link of the mechanical transmission, and above the main pivot of the driving input lever of the transmission. The main lever is bifurcated, and straddles the pneumatic cylinder. The mechanism includes a primary lock in the form of an over center lever arrangement, and a compact secondary lock that acts sideways rather than lengthwise. The sidewalls of the car include vertical stiffeners and side sheets. The lower portion of the side sheets lies laterally inboard of the stiffener web, while the upper portion lies laterally outboard of the stiffener web. The side slope sheet of the hopper meets the sidewall at the transition of the sidewall sheet from the inside-the-post to the outside-the-post condition.

Independent Claim Overview:

Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a railroad hopper car featuring a hopper with a bottom discharge and a movable door. The hopper includes at least a first end slope sheet inclined downward towards the door. A linkage connected to the door is oriented lengthwise, and a drive connected to this linkage urges the door to a closed position. A key characteristic is that the drag link within the linkage, when moving from the open to the closed position, either predominantly displaces parallel to the first end slope sheet or is at least instantaneously parallel to it.

Independent Claim 13: This claim outlines a railroad hopper car with a hopper having a bottom discharge and a movable gate. An actuating cylinder is connected to drive a door operating linkage, with both the cylinder and linkage oriented lengthwise. The significant aspect is that the axis of reciprocation of the actuating cylinder is tilted, meaning its displacement includes a vertical component of motion.

Independent Claim 22: This claim details a railroad hopper car with a gate for bottom discharge. A door operating linkage is connected to the gate, including a first pivot arm pivotally mounted to a first end section of the car at a first pivot connection. A mechanical transmission, which incorporates at least a drag link, connects the first pivot arm and the gate. When viewed in side profile, the first pivot connection is positioned lower than the actuating cylinder.

Independent Claim 25: This claim describes a railroad hopper car with a hopper having upstanding sidewalls and convergent slope sheets leading to a lower discharge. The first upstanding sidewall extends from a side sill to a top chord and has a predominantly upwardly running sidewall stiffener located intermediate the trucks. The stiffener's lower portion is laterally outboard of the sidewall's lower region, while its upper portion is laterally inboard of the sidewall's upper region. The sidewall has a continuous section between these regions, and the stiffener maintains web continuity between its portions.

Independent Claim 30: This claim specifies a railroad hopper car with a bottom discharge governor (e.g., a door) and a door operating linkage oriented lengthwise. An actuating cylinder drives this linkage and is also oriented lengthwise. The door operating linkage includes a pair of first and second linkage members cooperably mounted on either transverse side of the actuating cylinder, effectively bracketing it.

Independent Claim 41: This claim presents a railroad hopper car with a bottom discharge door and a mechanical transmission connected thereto. A door actuator urges the door from an open to a closed position. The car includes a first lock that prevents the door from opening when the actuator is inactive, and a second lock designed to prevent door movement if the first lock fails. The distinctive feature of the second lock is that its displacement between engaged and disengaged positions is predominantly cross-wise to the reciprocating direction of the door actuator.

Independent Claim 49: This claim describes a lock mechanism for a door actuating transmission in a railroad gondola car, which includes a reciprocating actuating cylinder. The mechanism has a body with a first fitting for mounting to a datum structure, a second fitting (either a cam or cam follower) for interaction with a transmission member, and a third fitting with an abutment. The third fitting moves between an obstructing first position and a second position, while the second fitting intercepts a transmission member to be deflected. The first fitting allows a degree of freedom that constrains the third fitting to motion predominantly cross-wise to the axial direction of the cylinder.

Independent Claim 55: This claim details a railroad hopper car designed for particulate material, with a hopper suspended between end sections. The hopper has a discharge section and end slope sheets. The first end section includes a draft sill, main bolster, and a shear plate mounted over them. The first end slope sheet of the hopper overhangs the shear plate. A key characteristic is that the machinery space bounded by the first slope sheet, the shear plate, an end post, and corner posts, is free of any other primary structure.

Independent Claim 59: This claim focuses on a railroad freight car body with a draft sill containing a draft gear pocket and a shear plate functioning as an upper flange. The draft sill has an access opening in its underside for draft gear installation from below, and a removable draft gear carrier plate mounted beneath the pocket. The car body further includes either an aperture in the shear plate allowing draft gear to protrude during installation, or a removable coupler carrier seat. The patent asserts the car includes both of these features.

CAFC 2026 Dockets Search:

As of April 26, 2026, a search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for patent number 8,166,892 did not yield any direct results. While Google Patents indicates ongoing litigation (e.g., PTAB IPR2025-01046 and a Delaware District Court case 1:24-cv-00594), these are not recorded within the CAFC 2026 dockets based on the conducted search. Therefore, there is no authoritative information regarding 2026 CAFC litigation specifically for US8166892 from the provided search results.