Electrical Connections Patents (Class 238/14.05)
  • Patent number: 10408195
    Abstract: An apparatus for harnessing energy from a wheel travelling on a railroad track includes an elongate body with a plurality of pockets spaced apart along a top surface thereof. Energy collection devices are installed in the pockets, and each includes an actuator extending proud of the top surface. A mounting assembly releasably mounts the body adjacent to the railroad track so that the actuators of the energy collection devices are positioned in a path of the wheel to be actuated thereby. The energy collection devices may be coupled to a low pressure fluid supply reservoir and a high pressure fluid accumulator, and used to pump fluid from the reservoir to the accumulator upon actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: KINERGYPOWER INTERNATIONAL CORP.
    Inventors: Dimitrios Horianopoulos, Stefanos Horianopoulos
  • Patent number: 10125802
    Abstract: A bearing cable structure while fabricating panel comprises a steel cable and two sets of fixing members. Each connection section of the steel cable is assembled to the corresponding antiskid ring and then assembled into the axial blind hole of each fixing member and further riveted to the screwing section of each fixing member by machine so that the fixing members are tightly connected to the outer layer of the steel cable and the steel cable and the fixing members are integrated with each other for preventing from falling off, and simultaneously the riveting of the axial blind hole may engage with the outer layer to perform double location so as to strengthen an axial pull strength of the bearing cable structure and increase service life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Inventors: Chu-Yu Lin, Yen-Chen Lin
  • Patent number: 9038796
    Abstract: A shaped block for positioning and/or holding a plurality of line sections of one or more electric lines along the track of a vehicle includes a plurality of recesses and/or projections. Edges of the recesses and/or the projections each delimit a space for the line sections into which one of the line sections can be introduced, so that said line section extends through the space in a longitudinal direction of the space. The longitudinal directions of the spaces delimited by the edges of the recesses and/or by the projections extend essentially mutually parallel in a common plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: Konrad Woronowicz, Michael Baade, Kris Siedmiogrodzki
  • Patent number: 8939380
    Abstract: A method of making an electrical connection to a railroad rail includes fastening a wire bonding assembly to a railroad rail, the wire bonding assembly including first and second spaced apart washer plates contacting the rail and a metal bar supported by the washer plates. The metal bar is electrically connected with the rail with a first conductive lead contacting a selected point on the rail and a selected point on the metal bar. A second conductive lead is connected to another selected point on the metal bar for establishing an electrical connection to the rail from an electrical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Mark E. Bousquet, Kurt D. Harmon
  • Patent number: 8851395
    Abstract: Method for applying an electrical contact to a hole (2) of a metal wall portion (1), comprising the steps of providing a bush (12), a punch (11) with a shaft (16), an expansion portion (19) and a connecting portion (20) thereof, a pulling device (21) with an abutment portion (22) and a pulling mechanism (23) for engaging the punch (11) and to pulling it proximally with respect to the abutment portion (22), inserting the punch (11) in a passage hole (25) of the bush (12) so that the connecting portion (20) protrudes proximally from the bush and the expansion portion (19) is located on end (14), bush connecting the punch (11) to the pulling device (21), inserting the preassembled bush (12)-punch (11)-unit from a proximal side of the wall portion (1) distally in the hole (2) and activating the pulling device (21) to pull the punch (11) proximally through the bush, thereby radially expanding bush and permanently anchoring it in the hole (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Cembre Ltd.
    Inventors: Kevin Ernest Woolley, Benjamin Ryan Mullaley
  • Patent number: 8678297
    Abstract: A clamp comprising a first end including a base and a hooked portion and a second end moveably connected to the base of the first end. The second end includes a clamped portion and a wire jaw maintaining a wire. The wire jaw is shaped so as to be placed in the second end. The wire jaw including a base and arms extending from the base. The arms defining an opening including teeth, the teeth effective to grip and provide high contact pressure on a rail. A spring is disposed on the base of the first end and is effective to bias the second end toward the hooked portion of the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventors: John Schatz, Walter W. Weiss
  • Publication number: 20120261482
    Abstract: A track for track bound vehicles, in particular for light rail vehicles. Includes a support element for supporting an electric conductor arrangement, which is adapted to produce an alternating electromagnetic field and—thereby—to transfer electromagnetic energy vehicle on the track. The support element confines spaces for receiving lines and/or wires of the conductor arrangement. An electrically conductive shield for shielding the alternating electromagnetic field extends along a plane below the spaces. A housing for receiving a power supply device for supplying electric power to the conductor arrangement is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH
    Inventors: Kurt Vollenwyder, Michael Baade, Konrad Woronowicz, Kris Siedmiogrozki, Harry Seiffert
  • Patent number: 8235307
    Abstract: A clamp comprising a first end including a base and a hooked portion and a second end moveably connected to the base of the first end. The second end includes a clamped portion and a wire jaw maintaining a wire. The wire jaw is shaped so as to be placed in the second end. The wire jaw including a base and arms extending from the base. The arms defining an opening including teeth, the teeth effective to grip and provide high contact pressure on a rail. A spring is disposed on the base of the first end and is effective to bias the second end toward the hooked portion of the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Twinco Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: John Schatz, Walter Weiss
  • Patent number: 8157186
    Abstract: A system and method for non-invasively attaching components to railroad track rails. More specifically, a connector is provided that can quickly and effectively electrically connect one or more signal lines with a surface of the track rail. In one embodiment, the non-invasive connector utilizes a spring clamp to form an electrical connection with a flange portion of the track rail. First and second opposing members of the spring clamp include teeth that mar the surface of the flange to form an electrical connection between the track rail and the spring clamp when the flange is forced between these opposing members. A signal line is electrically connected to the spring clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fastrax Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Reichle, Gary E. Choate
  • Publication number: 20100219256
    Abstract: Magnetic means and apparatus for implementing rail bonds and rail feeds. A rail bond embodiment comprises an electrical conductor. Mechanically and electrically coupled to each end of the electrical conductor is a magnet that comprises a magnetic material that is plated with an electrically conductive material. In an alternative embodiment, the magnet comprises a magnetic material that is disposed between two pieces of steel or other metal. In operation, the two magnets are attached to two rail sections, across a joint separating the rails, via the attractive magnetic force between each magnet and its associated rail. In this way, the electrical circuit comprising the rails is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventor: Mark A. Williams
  • Publication number: 20100170955
    Abstract: This invention addresses issue of rail seat abrasion by completely removing all elastomers from directly contacting the rail by utilizing a shoulder post with a lower portion that is coated or encapsulated with a nonconductive material and a rolled or cast tie plate design that introduces a tie plate to the rail seat of the concrete tie. The coated or encapsulated lower portion of the shoulder is then cast into the concrete. By having the pad between the plate and the tie, it is subjected to vertical compression only with no rubbing action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventor: Jude Odihachukwuma Igwemezie
  • Patent number: 7689332
    Abstract: An electric traction vehicle is described herein which may be used to provide power to off-board electric power-consuming systems or devices. The electric traction vehicle may provide 250 kilowatts or more of three phase AC power to an off-board electric power consuming system. The electric traction vehicle may also include an electrical power storage device which can be selectively discharged to allow the vehicle to be serviced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher K. Yakes, Jon J. Morrow, Duane R. Pillar, Bradley C. Squires
  • Publication number: 20070272762
    Abstract: An insulated rail joint assembly comprises a rail with a thick web section, held in place by joint bars and secured with electrically isolated fasteners. The joint bars have non-uniform cross-sections, being shaped with a thicker midsection area and thinner ends. Electrically non-conductive shear pins through the rail and the joint bars provide shear resistance and prevent glue bond failure. High strength cloth between the rail ends and between the rail and the joint bars strengthens the joint, as does an insulating rail clip resiliently fastened to an insulating tie plate, which itself may be supported on a cross tie of increased width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Gary Click, Brent Duffner
  • Patent number: 7143954
    Abstract: A short circuiting device for an electric railway system having a conductor rail for supplying electric power to drive the vehicles. The function of the device is to provide a short circuit between a track rail and the conductor rail. The short circuiting device contains a first contact element providing a face to make contact with the track rail and a contact arm that is coupled to the contact element via a jointed connection and has a contact face for making contact with the conductor rail. The jointed connection is a multi-hinged connecting facility containing two levers which are joined to each other via a knee-type joint and joined via the respective first and second connection hinges to the contact element and the contact arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Alcan Technology & Management Ltd.
    Inventors: Timo Netzel, Gerd Bittlingmayer
  • Patent number: 6244517
    Abstract: System for attaching an electric terminal connector to an element, including a threaded rod being one of, integral with, or fixed to the element and a nut, provided with a clamping washer adapted to clamp a terminal connector on one of, the element, or an electrically conductive member attached to the element. The clamping washer has a surface thereon adapted to be positioned across a surface on a terminal connector. The surfaces across from a terminal connector and the clamping washer are rotatable relative to each other without unscrewing the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Dubuis, Societe Anonyme
    Inventors: Alain Courtois, Jean-Pierre Huet