Patents Assigned to Amsted Rail Company
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Publication number: 20210284205Abstract: A dual friction draft gear assembly for a car coupling system of a rail car includes a housing having an internal chamber. One or more friction shoes are disposed within the internal chamber. A first load block has, defines, or otherwise provides a first angled interface with the one or more friction shoes. A second load block has, defines or otherwise provides a second angled interface with the one or more friction shoes.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2020Publication date: September 16, 2021Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventors: Igor Aleynikov, Zachary B. Harris
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Patent number: 11091179Abstract: In one aspect of the present disclosure, a side bearing is provided for supporting a body of a rail car. The side bearing includes a base for being mounted to a truck of the rail car, a support configured to contact the body of the rail car and move along a vertical axis relative to the base with movement of the body, and at least one resilient foam member configured to deform with movement of the support. The side bearing further includes at least one friction damping member configured to be urged in a direction transverse to the vertical axis against the base by the support and resist movement of the support relative to the base.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2018Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventor: Zachary B. Harris
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Patent number: 11072352Abstract: A rail car truck bolster wear plate surface connects to a wear plate using two fasteners of different length. The first fastener passes through an upper opening and an upper channel into a first recess where it can be tightened against a first engaging surface. The second fastener is longer than the first fastener and passes through a lower opening and lower channel into a second recess adjacent to the first recess. The surfaces of the first and second recesses form a series of ribs in the upper end surface between the wear plate surface and the longitudinal centerline of the bolster.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2018Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.Inventor: John Coseglia
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Patent number: 11030568Abstract: Bulk goods are transported on a rail network to a terminal which includes a loading with a metering device for measuring an amount of the bulk goods loaded or unloaded. At the terminal there is a control hub connecting to a plurality of portable hand held field computers and a communication system for communication with the rail network to obtain a Car Location Message (CLM), a way bill and mechanical data for each of the railcars. An input to the hub is provided by a plurality of self-powered scanning stations each including an RFID reader having an antenna for reading the RFID tag of an adjacent rail car where each scanning station has two radar proximity transducers responsive to presence of a rail car where the RFID reader has a quiescent mode and the radar proximity detectors activate the reader from the quiescent mode on detection of a railcar.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2016Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventor: Albert James Benedict
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Publication number: 20210061319Abstract: A damping system for a truck assembly of a rail vehicle includes a first friction shoe configured to engage a first portion of a side frame of the truck assembly, and a first lever pivotally coupled to the first friction shoe.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2019Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul Steven Wike
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Publication number: 20210053548Abstract: Systems for monitoring brake systems on railway assets include a load measuring device. The load measuring device includes an instrumented coupling configured to be connected to the rigging of a brake system of the railway asset; and to an underframe of the railway asset. The load measuring device also includes a data collection unit configured to process an output of a sensor of the instrumented coupling and, based on the sensor output, determine the force being transmitted between the brake rigging and the underframe.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventors: Mark Michel, Peter Novellino
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Publication number: 20210039687Abstract: A hatch cover assembly for a rail car includes a gasket including a sealing wedge extending downwardly from a lower surface of the gasket. The sealing wedge is configured to sealingly engage a lip of a hatch ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventor: Michael List
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Patent number: 10850755Abstract: Railyard management system for managing, assembling, disassembling and validating train consists and monitoring railcars in the railyard. The system provides for the collection of data and the movement of data from lower processing levels to higher processing levels, where an inference engine draws inferences regarding the current state of railcars and train consists within the railyard. The inferences are assigned confidence levels based on the methods and available data used to draw the inferences. The system can be used to track the location and orientation of railcars in the railyard and to validate order and orientation of assets in a train consist.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventors: William Lefebvre, Matthew Bonnes, Darren Dragish, Andrew Martin, Thomas P. Fuhs
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Patent number: 10746228Abstract: A temperature-robust polymer shroud for a roller bearing seal includes a shroud body and an inner diameter leg defining respective portions of a single continuous part. The shroud body encircles a rotation axis of the polymer shroud and extends predominantly in directions orthogonal to the rotation axis from an inner diameter to an outer diameter. The inner diameter leg connects to the shroud body at the inner diameter, encircles the rotation axis, and is oriented at an oblique angle to the rotation axis to extend both (a) radially inward from the inner diameter and (b) axially away from the inner diameter along a first direction parallel to the rotation axis. A roller bearing seal includes a seal case, an elastomer lip, and the temperature-robust polymer shroud.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventors: James A. Hargraves, Michael A. Mason
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Patent number: 10710619Abstract: A rail yard management system that takes advantage of infrastructure installed in rail yards and on railcars to allow the management of the railcars within a rail yard. The invention is also applicable to yard management for vehicles other than railcars.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventors: William LeFebvre, Matthew Bonnes, Darren Dragish, Andrew Martin, Edward J. Mansfield
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Patent number: 10711842Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a roller bearing seal assembly is provided that includes a seal case and a rotor having a unitary, one-piece construction. The rotor is connected to the seal case and is rotatable relative to the seal case about an axis. The seal case and rotor include interfering portions that limit axial separation of the rotor and the seal case. In one embodiment, the rotor and seal case include at least one snap-fit connection that permits the rotor and seal case to be readily assembled. The at least one snap-fit connection includes the interfering portions which inhibit axial separation of the rotor and seal case after the rotor and seal case have been assembled.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2018Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventors: Timothy M. Liebe, Michael A. Mason
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Publication number: 20200198670Abstract: A knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle includes a leading beam having a pulling face, a lateral offset beam extending from the leading beam, a tail extending from the lateral offset beam, an extension wall extending from the lateral offset beam towards an end of the tail, and a tapered lock engagement wall extending from the extension wall to the end of the tail. The tapered lock engagement wall is angled in relation to the extension wall. The tapered lock engagement wall is configured to engage an interior face of a main body of a lock of the coupler. The interior face defines a knuckle-engaging surface that is configured to bear against the tapered lock engagement wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2019Publication date: June 25, 2020Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Todt, Timothy Dumey
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Patent number: 10661815Abstract: The present railway car hatch cover latch assembly includes a latch plate. One end of the latch assembly rod is affixed to a bracket, with the adjustable end usually comprising an eye at the end of a threaded shaft. The threaded shaft is received in a keeper. The keeper in turn supports and holds a coil spring between the eye and the keeper cap. A bent hooking rod has two upturned ends that hold the end of the coil spring nearest the eye. The center of the bent hooking rod extends from the keeper to form a receiver. A latch plate includes a pivot rod that extends through the receiver of the bent hooking rod. The latch paddle itself contacts and holds the hatch cover is a compressively closed position against the railway car hatch ring.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2017Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.Inventor: Richard Warren
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Patent number: 10654495Abstract: A wear liner installs into a bolster center bowl without the need for welding. The wear liner includes an annular wall forming an open-ring shape that defines a gap between two edges of the wall. The wear liner has one or more protrusions that extend outwardly from the annular wall. The protrusions are sized to engage with a corresponding recess in the center bowl. The wear liner is compressible by drawing the annular wall toward a closed-ring configuration so that the wear liner can be inserted into the center bowl while exerting an expansive, radially outward force. Upon expanding, and the protrusions engage with the recess or recesses in the peripheral wall of the center bowl. This engagement, along with the expansive pressure of the wear liner against the peripheral wall of the center bowl secures the wear liner in place.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2017Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.Inventor: Anthony L. Swoboda
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Publication number: 20200132537Abstract: A truck assembly for a rail vehicle includes at least one side frame including at least one lightener hole. At least one strain gage is disposed within the lightener hole(s). The strain gage(s) is configured to detect forces exerted into or onto the truck assembly. A method of detecting forces exerted into or onto a truck assembly of a rail vehicle includes disposing at least one strain gage within at least one lightener hole of at least one side frame of a truck assembly of the rail vehicle, and detecting the forces by the strain gage(s).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul Steven Wike
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Patent number: 10597049Abstract: A railway freight car truck is provided with an elastomeric suspension device between the bolster end and the sideframe spring support surface. The elastomeric device is usually of an elongated oval shape. The elastomeric device takes the place of one or more rows of coil springs that comprise the suspension resting on the sideframe support surface. The freight car truck bolster is supported on the coil springs under empty car conditions and both the coil springs and the elastomeric device under fully loaded car conditions.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2017Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventor: Zachary Harris
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Patent number: 10597051Abstract: A railway truck includes two parallel side frames, a suspension spring assembly supported by the side frames, and a bolster transversely mounted between the side frames and supported by the suspension spring assembly. Each side frame has at least one vertical support face, and the bolster has at least one sloped support face. A friction shoe includes a bottom base engaging and supported by a support spring, and a sloped wall engaging the sloped support face of the bolster. The friction shoe prevents bolster side wall wear.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.Inventor: John Coseglia
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Patent number: 10589759Abstract: A friction shoe includes a bottom base engaging and supported by a pair of support springs, and a sloped wall engaging the sloped support face of a bolster. The bottom base includes a cylindrical spring lug that has a center opening that extends through the spring lug. The bottom surface of the spring lug is flat and smooth and is configured to engage an additional concentrically nested support spring. The additional spring increases the force between the vertical support face of the wedge and the vertical wear plate of the side frame.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.Inventor: John Coseglia
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Patent number: 10551257Abstract: A system for measuring in-train and coupling forces of freight rail cars is provided. The system includes at least four strain sensing elements mounted to the coupler of a railway vehicle. Signals from the strain sensing elements are transmitted to a receiver where they are converted into force readings.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2017Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.Inventor: Andrew Seidel
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Patent number: D876299Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.Inventors: Jonathan Sunde, Paul P. Sopt