pa1778data.pdf

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U.S. STEEL DUQUESNE WORKS
HAER No. PA-115
(Page 113)
ll'-9" wide x approximately 20*-0" high arched opening at its
center, extending 2*-3 1/8" below the floor line of the building.
The opening facilitates the installation of the car dumper's
platen and accommodates the entry and exit of railroad hopper
cars. The base of the opening in each ring supports the platen.
The platen consists of two large steel columns, spaced 4 , -8 1/2"
apart, which support a set of standard gauge railroad tracks
located on top of a 11•-9" wide x 60'-0" long x 2" thick platform
set at the building floor level. Laid out on a north-south axis
about the centerline of the car dumper, the platen is hooked at
its supporting steel columns to a drive shaft extending along the
centerline of the structure. Between the platen tracks and
located at each rail are the platen retarders. The retarders are
pneumatically operated steel shoes which clamp onto the wheels of
a railroad hopper car just prior to its rotation.
A set of four linearly designed clamp beam and double post
assemblies, used for securing the top of hopper cars to the car
dumper, form a bridge across the platen tracks. The posts in
each assembly are spaced 12'-0" apart about the centerline of the
tracks. The distance between the clamp beams is 10'-0" with the
outside clamp beams located 15'-0" respectively from the car
dumpers northern and southern ring. Each assembly consists of a
I'-O" wide x 12 f -0" long x 2'-9 1/2" steel plate constructed
movable clamp beam spanning a pair of steel columns located, one
each, on the eastern or western side of the platen. Each column
in the assembly is equipped with a roller wheel attachment which
rides up and down fixed columns by means of an interconnecting
wire rope and sheave wheel arrangement. On the eastern side of
the platen the fixed columns are part of the supporting steel
framework welded to each ring and the platen. The fixed columns
on the western side of the platen are encased in the spill truss
which is welded to each ring of the dumper. The steel plate
constructed spill truss is l f -6" wide x 60'-0" long x 14'-0"
high. It is used to support the side of a hopper car as it is
being rotated.
The dumper is powered by a 40/80 hp Westinghouse Induction
Motor running at 1400/700 rpm. The motor is connected to a size
180 Jones-Herringbone Speed Reducer with a ratio of 13.3-1. A 6"
diameter line shaft runs through the speed reducer to the north
and south ends of the dumper where it connects into a Link Belt
pinion gear drive run in an oil bath which turns a chain drive
wrapped around each ring of the dumper thereby rotating the
structure.
Located above and running the entire length of the car
dumper is a system of water sprays which are used to clear the
air of dust after the contents of the hopper cars have been