Patents by Inventor Donald L. LeVoir

Donald L. LeVoir has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5852350
    Abstract: A railroad crossing gate electrical control system for moving a crossing gate in up and down directions also provides for raising the gate counterweights in a failure mode. The control system includes an electric motor having a plurality of electromagnet poles and an armature rotating inside of the poles, with armature movement controlling gate movement. There is a motor and snub relay having contacts connected to the armature and the motor poles. A terminal board has movable contacts which are connected to the motor and snub relay and to a relay coil for moving the contacts of the snub relay. A source of power is connected to the terminal board. The movable terminal board contacts control the application of power to the motor and snub relay coil and the motor and snub relay contacts for operating the motor to cause up and down gate movement. There is a maintenance relay having a coil connected through a normally open switch to the source of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Safetran Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Donald L. LeVoir
  • Patent number: 5834914
    Abstract: A railroad crossing gate electrical control system for moving a crossing gate in up and down directions and providing snubbing protection to gate movement in failure modes includes an electrical motor having two diametrically positioned permanent magnet poles and two series connected electromagnet poles. There is an armature which rotates inside of the poles. There is a motor and snub relay which has contacts connected to the armature and the series connected electromagnet poles. A terminal board has movable contacts which are connected to the motor and snub relay and to a relay coil for moving the contacts of the motor and snub relay. A source of power is connected to the terminal board, with the movable terminal board contacts controlling the application of power to the motor snub relay coil and the relay contacts for causing up and down movement and for providing snubbing of armature movement during up and down gate movement and gate failure modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Safetran Systems Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Moe, Donald L. LeVoir
  • Patent number: 4895325
    Abstract: A railroad crossing gate arm electrical lamp system provides two flashing lamps and one continuously operated lamp. Each of the lamps has an internal electrical circuit with the internal electrical circuits being identical for each lamp. This permits the lamps to be interchanged in position with the lamp positions determining the function of the lamp. Each lamp electricl circuit has a three-wire input connection and a three-wire output connection. There are identical and reversible three-wire cables connecting the first flashing lamp with the second flashing lamp and the second flashing lamp with the continuously operated lamp. The input for the first flashing lamp includes two power supply terminals and a third common terminal. The lamps are connected in series across the power supply and a relay alternately shunts the lamps to obtain flashing of two of the lamps. The third lamp is connected across the power supply for steady light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Safetran Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Donald L. LeVoir