Miscellaneous Patents (Class 246/1R)
  • Patent number: 5816541
    Abstract: A method of preventing movement of a locomotive while personnel are working on the locomotive. The method includes placing the brakes of the locomotive under the control of a card reading control box, and providing personnel employed to work on the locomotive with identification cards readable by the box. Each worker inserts his or her card in the box before working on the locomotive, and the control box reads the cards and in response thereto maintains the brakes of the locomotive at full service until personnel have left the locomotive and the control box is cleared by workers again inserting their cards in the box or by a master key in the position of an engineer/operator of a locomotive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Joyce, Jr., Frank Huchrowski, Gregory S. Balukin
  • Patent number: 5809448
    Abstract: The position detector system for guided vehicles has a memory block which stores each journey, divided into sections identified by their theoretical parameters and in which the correction curves are stored; at least one recording unit sensitive to travel in a curve and a relative position recording unit, signals from which are sent to a control unit which using the signals, establishes the profile of variations of the actual parameters of the correction curves and carried out an adjustment based upon achievement of the minimum error in the profiles of coordinates obtained from the theoretical parameters and the actual parameters, determining the absolute real position of the vehicle. The system is especially suited for the railway rolling stock industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.
    Inventors: Jose Gernan Gimenez, Juan Felix Garcia
  • Patent number: 5533695
    Abstract: A train control system employs a series of wayside control units spaced along the track, each of which has responsibility for the control of trains in a corresponding local area and monitors track availability and signal status in its local area. Each wayside unit has a data base in memory that comprises fixed data defining an operational profile of the associated local area, and is provided with a data radio for transmitting profile messages containing the fixed data for that area and authority messages containing the dynamic data bearing track availability and signal status information. A data radio in a receive mode on a train receives the data transmissions from the wayside unit or units responsible for its control, and an on-board computer determines the proper train control instructions from the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Harmon Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Heggestad, Donald B. Schaefer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5284096
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided for moving within pipes to determine the condition of the interior of the pipes. The vehicle has at least one wheel which is capable of travelling on walls of magnetic material. Each wheel comprises an outer wheel member having an annular peripheral wall with an inner wheel member including a portion of magnetically permeable material. The inner wheel member has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the outer wheel member and is rollable on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wheel member. A magnet is provided in the inner wheel member having magnetic poles in contact with the permeable portion of the inner wheel. The vehicle is capable of moving through pipes without being blocked by obstacles such as a vertical wall extending from a horizontal surface. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle and a sensor processing module receives distance and time data and processes the data to determine whether the pipe is clear or obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ronald E. Pelrine, Eric A. Edwards, Lawrence S. Gullman
  • Patent number: 4883245
    Abstract: A transportation system and method of operation are disclosed wherein a network of nodes, such as railway stations, are defined between which relays, such as freight trains, are operated at a selected cue frequency to thereby provide regular and predetermined service to each node within the system. The system also includes a procedure for interchanging blocks, such as freight cars, which comprise the relays upon arrival at and for departure at the respective nodes. Scheduling of operating crews for return to their respective node of origin during a normal shift period is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Inventor: Thomas F. Erickson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4637668
    Abstract: The invention environment is a conventional electrically powered railroad locomotive wherein a main generator powers the underlying traction wheels and wherein an auxiliary generator powers low-voltage locomotive components (such as alarms, wheels directional and acceleration control, etc.) through longitudinally extending electrical circuitry terminating at one or more multi-pins receptacles. The locomotive safety device of the present invention takes the form of a multi-perforate plug removably engageable with selected pins of a locomotive multi-pins receptacle and having internal circuitry tending to enforce the perilous "blue flag" condition of a stopped locomotive, such enforcement including the steps of initially warning the would be operator that the "blue flag" condition exists and thereafter making it practically impossible for such warned operator to initiate locomotive movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Inventors: David R. Kleffman, Leroy V. Phiffer
  • Patent number: 4180322
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring interior profiles of enclosed spaces such as railway tunnels through optical means, achieves greater speed and precision than hitherto known apparatus by using a continuous collimated band of light together with means for maintaining the light band at a constant angle of incidence with the profile to be measured and means for detecting variations of the vertical angle of the light source while the light source and an associated image analyser are moved through the enclosed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1979
    Assignee: Alcyon Equipment S.A.
    Inventor: Michel Farcinade