Patents by Inventor Earl E. Frank

Earl E. Frank 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: 4637578
    Abstract: A railroad frog has either a cast or rail-built point, resting on a baseplate which is fastened to ties. A pair of heel rails are attached to the point, to the ties and to traffic rails. A pair of movable wing rails extend from the toe of the frog to a location adjacent the point of the frog. At the frog point an open wing rail forms a flangeway with the point, while the other, closed wing rail cooperates with the point to form a continuous tread surface through the frog. The wing rails are alternately thrown between the open and closed positions by an actuator. A series of stops define the open wing rail position and act to hold down the open wing rail. The wing rails have hinges which allow them to move. The wing rails have a full rail base at the hinges. Adaptor plates allow use of the frog on concrete ties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4624428
    Abstract: A railroad spring frog assembly for trackwork installations includes a rigid rail and a flexible spring wing rail. The flexible spring wing rail is rigidly affixed between one end which engages a wing point rail and the other end which connects to a closure rail at the toe end of the frog support means. When a rail car enters the frog and a wheel flange engages the spring wing rail to pass between it and the long point rail the spring wing rail bends away from the long point rail to define a flangeway therebetweeen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4428552
    Abstract: A high-speed switch machine for actuating railroad switch points. The machine has an electric motor which drives a hydraulic pump. The pump supplies pressure fluid to a hydraulic cylinder adapted to move the switch points from an initial to a second limit position. A four-way, two-position hydraulic control valve directs fluid to the cylinder such that the cylinder automatically operates in an extension and retraction cycle. The uni-directional motor and two-position control valve minimize response times of the actuating components so that the switch points are thrown in a short time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1984
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventors: Earl E. Frank, Bing S. Yee
  • Patent number: 4409902
    Abstract: A pair of air-operated hammers for driving railroad spikes are guided by separate yokes, raised and lowered by trunnion-mounted cylinders; a cross frame in a vertical plane is supported between the hammers and clamps join upright guides to the crossframe, the clamps enabling the hammers to be laterally adjusted on a main frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4362282
    Abstract: Railbound frogs for track work installation and so constructed as to strengthen the heel extension, to resist movement of the running rails away from the heel end of the frog and to prevent damage due to what is known as a "false flange" on the car wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1982
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4346751
    Abstract: Hand patching of recesses in the side walls of a sand mold, intended to receive a core, is avoided by filling the recess, after the core is emplaced with a complemental pre-molded cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1982
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4346785
    Abstract: A rail lubricator system for applying lubricant to the flange of a railroad car wheel riding on the head of a rail. The system has a lubricant reservoir with pumps therein for supplying lubricant to a delivery assembly attached to a rail. The pumps are mounted on a support which is connected to the reservoir cover. The lubricant delivery assembly clamps to a rail without the need for bolts or bolt holes extending through the rail web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1982
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4251042
    Abstract: A double tongue switch comprises a pair of identical and interchangeable switch assemblies, each of which has a rectangular body with vertical outer walls. Each switch tongue includes a pair of full-width railheads of increased thickness. Each body includes a continuous central support wall beneath the traffic-carrying tongue railhead. The inner end and side walls are ramped to facilitate removal of debris. The tongues are positively locked in extreme positions and are mounted on the bodies by an improved attachment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1981
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4245719
    Abstract: A lubricator (which may be of rail form, tilted on its side) for applying lubricant to a railroad wheel characterized by deep, elongated slots so arranged that lubricant is spread on the wheel in spaced segments during one half the wheel turn and also during the next half turn; the lubricant first applied to the wheel is re-transferred during the second full turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1981
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4177837
    Abstract: An accumulator comprising a cylinder and piston in which the front end of the piston is characterized by two spherical zones separated by a chordal zone while the opposed end wall of the cylinder is concave having a slope substantially the same as said chordal zone; the piston seal is an elastomeric ring supported on each side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1979
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventors: Earl E. Frank, Bing S. Yee
  • Patent number: 4114844
    Abstract: Tongue switch positioning is monitored by circuitry to indicate the switch is obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1978
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4113621
    Abstract: A hydraulic system having a plurality of motor driven pumps in parallel legs, at least one being active and one in reserve, so combined with sensors to sense pump efficiency and filter efficiency that a condition deemed pump failure or filter failure results in activating the reserve leg and deactivating the inefficient leg. Other sensors detect flow meter failure and establish warnings of conditions deemed near-failure. The system may be duplicated both on the pressure side and return side of the pumps.The system reservoir is characterized by a tank for return fluid to be cleaned and a separate tank for the fluid to be delivered under pressure; so constructed as to (a) remove turbulence, (b) prevent vortex overlap, (c) remove silt fines and (d) maintain a proper pumping level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1978
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventors: Earl E. Frank, Bing S. Yee
  • Patent number: 4098374
    Abstract: A system for exchanging hydraulic fluid between a pump, a retarder and a reservoir in a railroad classification yard in which a pump housing and a control unit housing are supported independently outboard of opposite sides of the classification track with conduits reduced to a minimum and connected to the housings by hoses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1978
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4081162
    Abstract: Wheel loads on the running surfaces of a frog point and its (cast) integral wings are distributed to the ties by a bottom wall boxing in the side walls which support those running surfaces and by strategically located center ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1978
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4034677
    Abstract: Two car retarders and an interposed means to push the cars are installed on a storage track. The upstream retarder slows the cars. The downstream retarder collects the cars released from the upstream retarder. The cars, coupled as a block, are pushed from the downstream retarder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1977
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 4027595
    Abstract: A hydraulic system having a plurality of motor driven pumps in parallel legs, at least one being active and one in reserve, so combined with sensors to sense pump efficiency and filter efficiency that a condition deemed pump failure or filter failure results in activating the reserve leg and deactivating the inefficient leg. Other sensors detect flow meter failure and establish warnings of conditions deemed near-failure. The system may be duplicated both on the pressure side and return side of the pumps. The system reservoir is characterized by a tank for return fluid to be cleaned and a separate tank for the fluid to be delivered under pressure; so constructed as to (a) remove turbulence, (b) prevent vortex overlap, (c) remove silt fines and (d) maintain a proper pumping level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1977
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventors: Earl E. Frank, Bing S. Yee
  • Patent number: 4005839
    Abstract: A railroad turnout including a switch having runoff plates with stop lugs spaced farther apart than the width of the switch point base so that flexure of the switch points downstream of the heel spread is permitted. Floating heel blocks are affixed to the stock rails at the heel point to maintain the conventional heel spread. A smooth ride through the turnout is further assured by additional switch rods, uniform risers in the switch and guard rails associated with the frog of the turnout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1977
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank
  • Patent number: 3964679
    Abstract: A guard rail assembly for supporting a guard rail adjacent to and higher than a traffic rail. Brace means are provided on the outer side of the guard rail away from the traffic rail. An upper portion of the brace means engages the outer face of the guard rail head, and a lower portion engages the web of the guard rail. A shim plate supports the base of the guard and has an inner upwardly extending lip in engagement with an inner face of the guard rail base. A tie plate underlies and supports the rails, brace means and shim plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1976
    Assignee: Abex Corporation
    Inventor: Earl E. Frank