US 12,077,195 B2
Manway assemblies for railroad cars
Scott Hart, Milwaukie, OR (US)
Assigned to Gunderson LLC, Lake Oswego, OR (US)
Filed by Gunderson LLC, Portland, OR (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/172,445.
Prior Publication US 2022/0250660 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. B65D 90/00 (2006.01)
CPC B61D 5/08 (2013.01) 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A manway assembly for a railroad tank car having a nozzle that defines an opening, the manway assembly comprising:
a cover having a perimeter portion with a plurality of spaced grooves;
a hinge attaching the cover to the nozzle so that the cover is pivoted among a plurality of positions including a closed position in which the opening is generally covered by the cover, a partially open position in which the pressure contained within the railroad tank car is vented, and a fully open position in which the opening is generally uncovered;
a plurality of spaced fasteners pivotably attached to the nozzle adjacent to the opening so that each fastener of the plurality of spaced fasteners is pivoted between a secured position in which the fastener is received in a corresponding groove of the plurality of spaced grooves, and an unsecured position in which the fastener is spaced from the corresponding groove; and
an interference member movably attached to the cover adjacent to at least one groove of the plurality of spaced grooves such that the interference member moves between a first position in which at least a portion of the interference member is adjacent the at least one groove and a second position in which the at least a portion of the interference member is spaced from the at least one groove relative to the first position, wherein the interference member is positioned to:
(a) prevent pivoting of at least one fastener from the secured position to the unsecured position in the first and second positions when the cover is in the closed position;
(b) prevent pivoting of the at least one fastener from the secured position to the unsecured position in the first position when the cover is in the partially open position; and
(c) allow pivoting of the at least one fastener from the secured position to the unsecured position when the cover is in the partially open position and the interference member is in the second position.