Patent attributes
The invention relates to an inlet closure system for covering an inlet formed in an upper region of a container body The container body may a storage region of a hopper, a hopper vehicle such as a hopper railway wagon or other storage devices. The inlet closure system comprises at least one closure member arranged substantially above the inlet and moveable between a first closed configuration in which the inlet is substantially closed and a second fully open configuration in which the inlet is substantially open, and at least one actuator mounted on an end wall of the container body for moving the closure member. The actuator remains below an upper edge of the end wall when the closure member is in the second fully open configuration. The actuator is arranged in use to act upon the at least one closure member via a linkage, which linkage is arranged for pivotal motion relative to the end wall about a point substantially midway between the side walls. The linkage may comprise a first link and a second link. The second link may have a first and a second limb which meet at a non-straight angle. Preferably, the first limb and/or the second link lie below the upper edge of the end wall when the closure member is in the second fully open configuration. The second limb may lie substantially beyond an inward facing surface of the closure member when the closure member is in the second fully open configuration. If two actuators are arranged to act upon respective closure members, the first links of the linkages are arranged to pivot about a common pivot point. The common pivot point is preferably located on the end wall at a point substantially midway between the sidewalls.
