Patents Examined by Cheng Lin
  • Patent number: 11826667
    Abstract: The roller coaster with separable cars and multiple paths is a mechanical structure. The roller coaster with separable cars and multiple paths incorporates a plurality of trolleys, a track structure, and a control structure. The control structure controls the motion of the plurality of trolleys through the track structure. Each individual trolley selected from the plurality of trolleys travels along the track structure either as a train or as in individual trolley. Each individual trolley can both separate from the train and rejoin the train as the individual trolley travels through the track structure. The track structure is a multipath structure. The track structure forms a circuit. The track structure forms the path that guides each the plurality of trolleys through the circuit formed by the track structure. Each individual trolley can take an individual path selected from the multipath structure of the track structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventor: Erick Tinsley
  • Patent number: 11827250
    Abstract: An IBC storage box assembly is elevated from a railcar. A vertical beam is used to elevate the storage box off the railcar so that the storage box is more easily accessed from a rail platform. Additionally, the vertical beam may provide some clearance for the storage box so that the storage box is not impacted by the railcar coupler during transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: TRINITY RAIL GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Huck, Ross E. Hill
  • Patent number: 11820406
    Abstract: A magnetic traction assembly is disclosed for a railcar mover that provides additional downforce to improve traction for a railcar mover when required. The magnetic traction assembly may comprise a frame, an actuator, and a magnetic element positioned underneath a railcar mover. The magnetic element may be lowered to a deployed position, where the magnetic element is positioned near the railroad rails such that the magnetic field from the magnetic element interacts with the railroad rail creating an attraction force that provides additional downforce to the railcar mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Trackmobile LLC
    Inventors: Robert Evans, Jeffrey Looney, Kevin Grover, Calvin Wagner, Marco Mattioli
  • Patent number: 11821148
    Abstract: In a stock rail for use in a railroad switch, there are a rail head, a rail web and a rail foot, wherein the stock rail has a first longitudinal section forming an abutment region for a tongue rail and a second longitudinal section lying outside the abutment region, wherein the stock rail in the second longitudinal section has a cross-sectional base profile with a central axis extending through the center of the rail head cross section, wherein the rail head in the first longitudinal section is machined starting from the cross-sectional base profile so that the running edge, compared to the base profile, lies closer to the central axis of the stock rail, the rail head having substantially no width reduction at least at a first point within the first longitudinal section and having a maximum width reduction at least at a second point within the first longitudinal section, it is provided that the running edge at the first point and the running edge at the second point lie substantially in a common running edge
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignees: VOESTALPINE TURNOUT TECHNOLOGY ZELTWEG GMBH, VOESTALPINE RAILWAY SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventor: Erich Wipfler
  • Patent number: 11821156
    Abstract: The present invention is a grinder head for attaching to a track cleaner. The present invention also includes the grinder head attached to a track cleaner. Preferably, the present invention will continuously grind and load hard frozen minerals like taconite or ice. In addition, the present invention preferably aids in removal of hard-to-handle material such as wet, sticky bentonite from tracks which can be difficult in the summer months. The grinder head attachment will preferably allow operators to use a track cleaner to remove materials, preferably in one pass, during the colder months when the bentonite is frozen and much easier to handle. Preferably, the present invention will also be able to remove concrete or asphalt surfaces at road crossings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Mineral Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Farmer, Wayne Conner, Wally Schultz, Yan Chen
  • Patent number: 11821146
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for tamping sleepers of a track by means of a tamping assembly comprising at least two tamping units which have tamping tools lying opposite one another in each case and supported on a lowerable tool carrier, wherein the tamping tools—actuated with a vibration—are lowered into a ballast bed during a tamping operation and squeezed towards one another via squeezing drives. In this, for tamping an obliquely-lying sleeper, the tamping tools or tamping tool pairs in a raised position are moved via a control by means of the squeezing drives in the squeezing direction with different adjustment paths in such a manner that the free ends of the tamping tools or tamping tool pairs rotate approximately about a common vertical rotation axis in order to adapt themselves to the oblique position of the sleeper. With this method according to the invention, the necessity of a separate mechanical rotation device is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Hofstaetter
  • Patent number: 11821147
    Abstract: A method for compaction of a track ballast bed uses a tamping unit including two oppositely positioned tamping tools which are actuated with vibrations and are lowered into the track ballast bed during a tamping operation and moved towards one another with a squeezing motion. A progression of a force acting upon the tamping tool over a path covered by the tamping tool is recorded during a vibration cycle by sensors disposed at the tamping unit for at least one tamping tool. At least one characteristic value is derived therefrom and used to carry out an evaluation of the tamping operation and/or of a quality of the track ballast bed. The tamping unit is thus used as a measuring apparatus during operative use. A device for performing the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Fritz Kopf, Dietmar Adam, Bernhard Antony, Florian Auer, Olja Barbir, Johannes Pistrol
  • Patent number: 11807280
    Abstract: A floor section for an insulated railcar includes a floor plate and a composite section coupled to the floor plate. The composite section includes a plurality of composite beams aligned parallel to one another. Each composite beam of the plurality of composite beams includes an inner core and an outer material surrounding the inner core. The inner core includes an insulating material and is configured to support the outer material. An upper surface of each composite beam of the plurality of composite beams, which extends along a length of the composite beam, is coupled to an underside of the floor plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: TRINITY RAIL GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Huck, Marco A. Morales, Ricky A. Cribbs, Codrington E. Barzey, Scott M. Lewit
  • Patent number: 11807110
    Abstract: A dual mode current collector includes a mounting frame having a pivot shaft extending along a pivot axis. A first current collector includes a housing pivotally connected to the pivot shaft, a shoe arm connected to the housing, and a shoe attached to the shoe arm. The shoe has a conductor surface configured to engage a rail. A second current collector includes a housing pivotally connected to the pivot shaft, a shoe arm connected to the housing, and a shoe attached to the shoe arm. The shoe has a conductor surface configured to engage a rail. A first actuator connected to the mounting frame and the first current collector is configured to rotate the first current collector about the pivot axis. A second actuator connected to the mounting frame and the second current collector is configured to rotate the second current collector about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Inventors: Travis McMahan, William Golpe
  • Patent number: 11807995
    Abstract: A tamping assembly for a track-tamping machine tamping tools designed as rocker arm pairs. Each tamping tool has a pick arm mounted on a support so as to be pivotally adjustable about a pivot axis and with a hydraulic drive engaging one end and a pick on the other end. The pick arm is of single web design and is mounted on the pivot axis between two axis supports assigned to the support. A pick holder is between the pick arm and the pick. The pick holder is mounted on the pick arm to be pivotally adjustable about an adjustment axis by a pivot drive. The adjustment axis is perpendicular to the pivot axis, and the point of attack of the hydraulic drive on the pick arm, the longitudinal axis of the pick arm, and the adjustment axis lie in a common plane between the axis supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: HP3 Real GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Lichtberger
  • Patent number: 11801877
    Abstract: A railcar anti-scissoring system includes a base controller positioned within a train locomotive that sends a launch initiation command to railcar-stabilizing units when detecting rapid deceleration indicative of a collision or derailment. The stabilizing units include a receiver secured to the rear end of each rail car and a coupling unit attached to the front end of each rail car. The coupling unit houses a deployable locking rod that is thrust into a mating cavity in the receiver upon receipt of the launch command. The deployed locking rod maintains the host railcar and the preceding railcar in a linear orientation during a rapid deceleration to prevent jackknifing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Inventor: Rodney W. Balke
  • Patent number: 11801875
    Abstract: A hybrid cable/rail transportation system comprising: at least one system portion configured as a cable transportation system comprising at least one cable; at least one system portion configured as a rail transportation system comprising at least one rail, wherein the system portion configured as a cable transportation system is upstream and/or downstream of the system portion configured as a rail transportation system; a plurality of transportation units, wherein each transportation unit comprises a cabin; wherein each cabin is configured for being moved along the entire system, respectively supported hanging from the cable along the system portion configured as a cable transportation system and supported resting on the rail along the system portion configured as a rail transportation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: LEITNER S.P.A.
    Inventors: Nikolaus Erharter, Hartmut Wieser, Giuseppe Conte
  • Patent number: 11787449
    Abstract: A floor structure of a rail vehicle car body includes a supporting structure having a left and a right longitudinal beams and a plurality of transverse structural members using a low-heat welding process. A floor panel is directly and releasably attached atop the supporting structure using and a plurality of non-permanent, pressure interlocking fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Laflamme
  • Patent number: 11787451
    Abstract: An elastic bushing includes a recess at a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the elastic bushing which portion is located at an inner side in a car longitudinal direction, the recess being recessed outward in the car longitudinal direction. A tubular portion of an axle beam includes a convex stopper portion protruding outward in the car longitudinal direction from a part of an inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion which part is located at the inner side in the car longitudinal direction, the stopper portion being inserted into the recess with a gap between the stopper portion and a bottom surface of the recess. A thickness of the elastic bushing at the recess in a radial direction is equal to or less than half a thickness of a portion of the elastic bushing in the radial direction which portion is located adjacent to the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI RAILCAR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukitaka Taga, Yasufumi Okumura, Fumikazu Kounoike
  • Patent number: 11780482
    Abstract: Method for determining the relationship between a track-circuit current signal and a railway vehicle location, including sending, by a track circuit, a current signal across a railway track block, measuring the current signal for different railway vehicles running successively on the railway track block, thus obtaining a plurality of railway vehicle move samples, normalizing the railway vehicle move samples, initializing a reference curve, and applying a Weighted Dynamic Time Warping Barycenter Averaging algorithm to calculate a final reference curve representing the relationship between the measured track-circuit current signal and the railway vehicle location on the railway track block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: ALSTOM Transport Technologies
    Inventors: Nenad Mijatovic, Jeffrey Fries, Jesse Herlocker, Saleheh Seif, Keval Doshi
  • Patent number: 11772421
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel traction assembly for use in freeing a stuck vehicle includes a plate having a plurality of ridges engaged thereto and extending from a first face thereof. A second face of the plate can be positioned upon a surface proximate to a drive wheel of a vehicle to increase traction of the drive wheel relative to that of the drive wheel directly upon the surface. A handle is engaged by a pivot pin to the second face of the plate proximate to a first end thereof. The pivot pin is biased toward a first terminus of the handle. The handle is rotatable between a deployed configuration, wherein a second terminus of the handle is positioned distal from the plate, and a stowed configuration, wherein the handle extends between the first end and a second end of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventor: James Hackler
  • Patent number: 11760213
    Abstract: This invention concerns a railway vehicle (10), including: a power supply device (20), an electrical traction engine (15), first electrical auxiliary equipment (16, 17), and a connector (22) for connecting to an electrical power source external to the vehicle. The power supply device comprises: an electrical converter (26) suited to supply the electrical traction engine with high-voltage current, wherein the electrical converter is connected to the connector; a first medium-voltage electricity network (34) to which the first auxiliary electrical equipment is connected, and a first electrical storage element (30) connected to the first medium-voltage electricity network so as to supply electricity to or draw electricity from the first network. The electrical converter is connected to the first medium-voltage electricity network so as to supply the first network with electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SpeedInnov
    Inventors: Christophe Bollengier, Fabrice Hickenbick, David Goeres, Philippe Lavigne
  • Patent number: 11752818
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for rear railgear, pivot links, and pin-off systems. An example assembly including railgear, an attachment frame, a mounting bracket, upper and lower links is provided. The rail gear includes a pair of guidewheels, an axle, and an axle saddle; the attachment frame can connect to the axle saddle of the railgear; the mounting bracket is configured to attach to a vehicle; the upper link pivotably connected to the mounting bracket; and the lower link pivotably connected to the attachment frame, where the lower link is connected to the upper link via a pivot pin. The railgear can be secured in either the deployed or stowed position using various interchangeable pin-off systems, including but not limited to: a manual pin-off system, an air operated pin-off system, and a cable pin-off system. The railgear can also be secured in the stowed position using an automatic mechanical lock system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: DIVERSIFIED METAL FABRICATORS, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Alwin Monroe, Brian Jeffery Frankum, Daniel Joseph Jachim
  • Patent number: 11753774
    Abstract: An anchoring device for use in retaining a railway rail fastening clip having first and second leg portions and a rail-bearing portion therebetween. The anchoring device includes a base member, an opening in the base member configured to receive a fastening component for fastening the anchoring device to an underlying foundation, and first and second clip-retaining sides extending from said base member with the first clip-retaining side being spaced apart from the second clip-retaining side so as to define a space therebetween for receiving the rail-bearing portion of the clip. Each clip-retaining side comprising upper and lower clip contact walls defining a passageway for receiving one of the leg portions, wherein the leg portions contact the clip contact walls of the respective clip-retaining sides as the clip moves from a wedged position towards an engaged position where the rail-bearing portion of the clip bears on the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Pandrol Limited
    Inventors: John Phillip Porrill, John David Spencer, Stephen John Cox, Brenton Keast, Steven Harkness, Chris Lea
  • Patent number: 11738598
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a vehicle recovery board having a rectangular body with a flat topside surface and an inclined front portion of the underside surface. The flat topside surface does not have a ramp front section. The flat topside surface provides a surface at a constant angle to allow a tire to move on and along without providing an initial steep slope to gain traction. The vehicle recovery board also includes features that improve tire traction and dislodge water, sand and other material from the tread of tires. The vehicle recovery board of the present invention also has ground engagement teeth on the underside of the board to reduce slippage of the board during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Haigh Australia Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Christopher Edwin Hadley, Ian Paul Smith