Appeal 2007-1787
Application 10/742,187
4. Bounds discloses a railroad hopper car with ballast distributing
hoppers and a remote control system (Bounds, col. 2, ll. 23-35).
5. The railroad car 101 includes a number of hopper doors 111. Each of
the doors 111 is selectively moveable between a closed position, as shown in
Fig. 11, and an open position, as shown in Fig. 12, via a hydraulically-operated
cylinder and piston 112. When the hopper doors 11 are opened, ballast 113 is
dropped onto and between the rails 102. (Bounds, col. 8, ll. 23-29).
6. A remote hand held transmitter 214 provides selective and individual
control of all of the hydraulic cylinders on the cars. The receiver 202 is connected
to a solenoid controller 215 (Bounds, col. 9, ll. 62-67).
7. The solenoid controller 215 is programmed to selectively provide
electrical control signals to the valve control solenoids 203-212 to thereby
selectively control a plurality of 3 way hydraulic valves 221-230 thereby
controlling, among other things, the individual hopper doors (Bounds, col. 10,
ll. 1-4 and 10-14).
8. Bounds does not disclose a GPS receiver or a position control system
coupled to a GPS receiver for storing data representing a location along the
railroad in which application of ballast is desired.
9. Anderson discloses a spinner spreader machine that automatically
adjusts positioning of the spinner spreader funnel apparatus to allow product
spreading patterns to be changed on-the-go in response to changing quantity and
prescription requirements (Anderson, col. 1, ll. 7-11).
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