Abstract: A light beam intensifier (10) having a paraboloidal reflector (12) a mirror (14) a single light tube (16) and window (18). The mirror (14) is placed forward of the forcal point f of the reflector (12) and has the light tube (16) affixed thereto to be positioned coincident with the focal point f. As the light tube (16) is energized, light rays (52) emanating directly therefrom are reflected from the parabolic reflector (12) to form a first beam path and the forward shining light rays (54) are reflected from the reflective surface (34) of the mirror (14) to be reflected off the paraboloidal reflector (12) to form a composite light beam path (56) having a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: A railway vehicle motion detector that monitors vibrations within the vehicle and the acceleration thereof to provide an indication of the condition of motion of the vehicle. The motion detector is adapted to be mounted on any railway vehicle, and in particular on the last vehicle of a railway train, and to be incorporated into a system that monitors and remotely displays a plurality of train status conditions. The motion detector includes a transducer (10) that converts the vehicle vibrations and acceleration into an electrical output signal. A velocity circuit (12) selectively passes and integrates a range of frequencies of the transducer output signal that are reliable indicators of vehicle motion to obtain a velocity signal having a magnitude that is proportional to a change in the velocity of the vehicle and a polarity that is indicative of the direction of a change in velocity.

Abstract: An emergency brake control valve and a system incorporating the same that enables the locomotive engineer to remotely initiate emergency braking at the rear or any intermediate car of the train. The system includes a master unit that is constructed so as to be mounted in the locomotive of the train and a remote control unit that is constructed so as to be mounted on one of the cars. Preferably, the remote control unit is mounted on the last car so that emergency braking may be initiated at the rear of the train. Actuation by the engineer of an emergency brake switch (20) produces an output signal that is transmitted by a radio transmitter (22) and received by a radio receiver (24) in the remote control unit. In response to the received signal, an actuator (26) is energized to operate a solenoid valve (28) from a normally closed position to an open position to connect a control port (48) of an emergency brake control valve (30) to atmosphere.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery pack that is easily installed and removed without the use of tools and with assurance that the correct polarity of the batteries will be established. A plurality of rechargeable batteries (54) are contained by a top cover (50) and a bottom cover (52). The bottom cover includes a pair of locating holes (65, 67) and a pair of recessed female connectors (66, 68) that are connected to the batteries to provide terminals of opposite polarity. The female connectors (66, 68) and the locating holes (65, 67) are arranged for complementary mating engagement with a pair of male connectors (42) and a pair of locating pins (20, 22), included in an electrical coupling (12) of a device to be powered. The top cover (50) includes a locating hole (55) that is cooperatively aligned with one of the locating holes (65) in the bottom cover so that one of the locating pins (20) of the electrical coupling may be received thereby.

Abstract: An information system for communicating information from each of a plurality of separate locations to each of a plurality of mobile objects includes a beacon at each location and a beacon triggering and detecting apparatus mounted on each object. Each beacon triggering and detecting apparatus is assigned a predetermined and unique time window within a common system cycle. During the initial portion of its window, the beacon triggering and detecting apparatus transmits a trigger signal at a frequency f.sub.1, with the trigger signal as transmitted having a substantially constant amplitude and with frequency f.sub.1 being chosen so that the intensity of the trigger signal decays as the cube of radial distance from the object. If the object is within a predetermined beacon trigger range of a location, the beacon at that location detects the trigger signal and transmits a beacon signal at a frequency f.sub.2 (substantially greater than frequency f.sub.