Patent attributes
A railroad car hatch cover including a high strength and highly rigid laminate panel having an inner aluminum member, an outer aluminum member, and a solid plastic core. A cross-section of the laminate panel includes a center section with two generally parallel and generally vertical sides. Each generally vertical side of the panel is joined to center section of the panel along a longitudinally elongated curved corner having a radius of less than 1.5 inches. Moreover, compressible gasket structure is secured to an underside of the center section of the laminate panel in the vicinity of each corner for engaging and pressing against a top rim of railcar coaming to seal the hatch cover whereby inhibiting contaminants from passing between the closed clover and the coaming on the railcar. Additionally, the laminate panel is provided with longitudinally spaced structure, arranged inwardly from the opposed ends of and secured across the laminate panel, for adding further strength and rigidity to the hatch cover.
