Patents Assigned to Signals, Inc.
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Patent number: 5683148Abstract: A brake pipe pneumatic valve attachable to an end of a railway vehicle having a first flexible air hose for transmitting brake pipe pressure, and the end-of-train device with a second flexible air hose. The valve includes a housing having first, second, and third ports. The first port is releasably connectable to the first flexible air hose; the second port is releasably connectable with the second flexible air hose; and the third port is releasably matable with a coupling connected to a helper locomotive brake pipe. The valve includes a piston that divides the housing into first and second chambers. The first chamber communicates with the first and third ports; the second chamber communicates with the second port. Also, the piston has a channel therethrough connecting the first and second chambers. The valve further includes first biasing means, disposed between the housing and the piston, for selectably urging the piston towards sealing the first port.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1995Date of Patent: November 4, 1997Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: Wei Li, Paul J. Boget
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Patent number: 5675868Abstract: A latching device is provided for releasably retaining in an upright and open position, a hinged door which is typically manufactured of a heavy cast iron and hinged to a train stop housing, thereby to prevent the unintentional and accidental closure of the hinged door during installation connections or any field operational maintenance of the train stop housing. Preferably, a latch assembly is mounted atop a sturdy frame which provides an integral support above the train stop housing and is mountable with mounting hardware to a mounting lug of the train stop housing. The latch assembly includes a covered latching bar which slides in a channel defined by a first and second bracket and is urged by a spring mounted between the first and second bracket, thereby to urge a latch end of the latching bar outwardly away from the latch assembly and an opposing handle end of the latching bar inwardly towards the latch assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 1996Date of Patent: October 14, 1997Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: Ross Edward Ferguson, Glen John Siefert, Mike Edward Sterling
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Patent number: 5676337Abstract: A railway car retarder mechanism that employs linear electromagnetic induction to precisely accelerate or decelerate a railcar. The retarder mechanism includes a plurality of linear induction stators having a spaced plurality of primary inductors, a controllable power source electrically connected with selected ones of the primary inductors, a controller for controlling the electric current transmitted to the respective primary inductors by the controllable power source, and a sensor for sensing selected railcar parameters and transmitting those parameters to the controller, so that the speed-corrective forces applied by the retarder are proportional to these parameters. The controller regulates the magnetomotive force which is imparted upon a selected one of a plurality of railcar wheel sets, and is connected with each controllable power source. In some embodiments, the sensor include at least a portion of fiber-optic cable, which cable can be disposed proximate to a predetermined length of track rail.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 1995Date of Patent: October 14, 1997Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: Theo C. Giras, Joseph A. Profeta, Dario Romano, Joseph P. Elm
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Patent number: 5664744Abstract: A railway signal having a housing, in which the housing has an annular ledge thereon. The annular ledge has first and second opposed surfaces. One or more portions of the second ledge surface, preferably cast raised bosses, are machined so as to have a selected height. A reflector is mounted upon the first ledge surface. Also attached to the signal housing is a lamp receptacle bracket. The lamp receptacle bracket has a first end that is mounted upon the one or more machined portions of the second ledge surface. The lamp receptacle bracket also has a second end that has a lamp receptacle attached thereto. An insulating plate is disposed between the lamp receptacle flat portion and the lamp receptacle bracket flat surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 1995Date of Patent: September 9, 1997Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: James P. Chew, Santo A. DeFrancesco, Richard S. Jones
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Patent number: 5659137Abstract: A decelerometer is provided for detecting and measuring inertial deceleration and acceleration of a vehicle moving in a first direction and alternatively moving in a second direction which opposes the first direction. The decelerometer uses a tilt sensor which changes voltage as the tilt sensor is rotated clockwise or counter clockwise or is otherwise tilted from a level position. Two voltage outputs from the tilt sensor are processed to convert from AC to DC and from DC to digital information, which subsequently is processed by a processing unit for decisions to be made relative to accelerating, decelerating, and braking of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1996Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventor: William R. Popp
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Patent number: 5639047Abstract: An apparatus for providing a light signal to a signal unit at an overhead location along a railway signal structure, particularly a cantilever signal structure having a vertical mast and an arm assembly extending therefrom. Signal units may be located along the mast and/or the arm assembly. A light source is provided at or near ground level so as to be readily accessible by a maintainer and is connected by fiber optic cable to the signal units. Thus, light produced by the light source travels through the optical fiber to the signal units.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1996Date of Patent: June 17, 1997Assignee: Union Switch & Signal, Inc.Inventors: Paul J. Boget, James P. Chew
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Patent number: 5622339Abstract: Cab signalling apparatus for use on-board a vehicle which is propelled on tracks having a cab signal transmitted through rails. One or more plate mounted antenna is positioned above a rail to induce therein a signal representative of the cab signal current in the rail. A cab signal coil is mounted on at least one of the plates having an orientation generally perpendicular to the rail to receive a cab signal. A second noise coil is mounted on at least one of the plates to sense EMI representative of the undesired EMI induced in the cab signal coil. The preferred embodiments are that the plates have a generally rectangular profile and in some embodiments the plates will have a square profile. The respective noise and cab signal coils are angularly displaced from each other. In some embodiments a single core is used having both noise and cab signal coils mounted thereon, while other embodiments use multiple plates. On single plate embodiments the noise and cab signal coils may be overlapped or interleaved.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1995Date of Patent: April 22, 1997Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventor: Ronald R. Capan
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Patent number: 5613744Abstract: A motor vehicle brake control system having traction control and incorporating controller features and methods of operation which interrupt activation of the traction control system in conditions likely to develop excessive brake temperatures, exceed available brake pressure limitations, or other adverse brake conditions. This feature is provided by monitoring the behavior of the system, and based on known braking system characteristics, disabling the traction control when certain parameters are exceeded. The system provides these features without the need to directly measure brake temperature, brake system pressure or other physical parameters.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 1995Date of Patent: March 25, 1997Assignee: Allied Signal, Inc.Inventors: Ralph G. Eslinger, Gerard O. McCann
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Patent number: 5598992Abstract: A railway switch circuit controller having a housing with a bottom surface and opposed side surfaces. The bottom surface has a raised planar boss provided thereon, in which the raised boss is cast upon the bottom surface and is then machined so as to have a flat surface and a selected height. The side surfaces have respective openings provided therethrough for receiving a shaft. The shaft is rotatably disposed through the side surface openings and has one or more cam segments disposed thereupon. Each cam is engageable with a follower in which the follower is biased to a first position but rotation of the shaft causes the cam to move the follower to a second position. The follower is connected to a movable contact of a contact spring assembly. The contact spring assembly also has one or more sets of first and second generally nonmovable contacts in which the movable contact is disposed between the two nonmovable contacts. The contact spring assembly is secured to a terminal board.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1995Date of Patent: February 4, 1997Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventor: James P. Chew
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Patent number: 5561762Abstract: A method for selecting and responding to a malicious fault in a reconfigurable electronic apparatus that can perform multiple tasks, and that has fault processing for counteracting a class of faults which can generally cause the apparatus to fail during the execution of a preselected task if the fault processor is unavailable and to which class the malicious fault can belong. The reconfigurable electronic apparatus can be a fault processing system, which can be an interlocking control circuit, or a combinational circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: October 1, 1996Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: D. Todd Smith, Barry W. Johnson, Joseph A. Profeta, Theo C. Giras
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Patent number: 5555839Abstract: An inflatable balloon signalling device having a container which houses a balloon, a pressure vessel containing a lighter-than-air gas, a gas release actuator assembly, a gas release lever arm, a balloon filler connector and tube, and a rotatable spool carrying a tether line connected to the balloon.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: September 17, 1996Assignee: Distress Signals, Inc.Inventors: Dwight M. Staten, Charles M. Staehle
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Patent number: 5547151Abstract: A linear induction rail switch mechanism having at least one linear induction motor (LIM) for transversely thrusting a switch track from a first position to a second position. To reduce the frictional forces during transverse movement, the switch mechanism can be levitated from the underlying structures. The switch can have at least one controllable power supply which may supply electric power to an individual LIM or groups of LIMs, which may be three-phase motors. The switch may include a vital controller which is connected to at least one controllable power supply. The vital controller responds to at least one of a feedback signal from a controllable power supply, a feedback signal from a LIM, a feedback signal from a switch track, and a remote signal. The LIM may include a primary inductor which is affixed substantially rigidly to the ground and a secondary which is affixed to the switch track. In some embodiments, the secondary may be a ladder secondary.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 1995Date of Patent: August 20, 1996Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: Theo C. Giras, Joseph A. Profeta, Dario Romano
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Patent number: 5543596Abstract: A rotary switch operated by a cam having a lobe is disclosed. The cam is attached to a mechanism for rotation about the axis of the cam. A first switch contact member is positioned adjacent said cam and selectively makes electrical contact with a second switch contact member. The bracket attached to the first switch contact member contains a roller positioned adjacent to the cam for rotatably engaging the cam as the cam rotates. The roller is positioned with the bracket portion of the first contact such that the axis of the roller is movable from a first position to a second position as the switch changes from an open to closed or from a closed to open position. The bracket may contain an elongated slot which permits the axle of the roller to move within the slot as the switch changes modes. The slot preferably extends linearly and at an angle less than 45 degrees from a tangent line to the surface of said lobe adjacent the slope between said cam and said lobe.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 1994Date of Patent: August 6, 1996Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: Richard S. Jones, William H. Hodges, Jr., Paul M. Evans
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Patent number: 5535968Abstract: A vital railway signal link for passing DC signals between a first terminal location and a second terminal location. A transmitter at the first terminal location receives a DC input signal and responsively produces a light signal modulated at a preselected frequency. The light signal is conducted through an optical fiber to the second terminal location. There, a receiver detects the light signal and produces a DC output signal. The receiver contains discriminator circuitry preferably including a bandpass filter to prevent light signals other than those modulated at the preselected frequency from giving an output signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1992Date of Patent: July 16, 1996Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: Chinnarao Mokkapati, Ronald R. Capan
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Patent number: 5529267Abstract: A hazard predictor that processes both rail and superstructure measurements to predict some potentially hazardous conditions on a railway structure. Measurement is collected in real time with the aid of fiber optic sensor based linear array mesh, and processed with a neural network. Sensors placed under the rail and sensors placed laterally of the rail provide data collection in real time both during occupied and unoccupied periods. In some embodiments the measurement data is compressed into two signatures which can be represented as two vectors. The collinearity of the vectors and the angle between the vectors are utilized to interpret the data as to track conditions. The angle between the descriptors can be used to predict the severity of degradation of the structure. The predictor can be used to manage maintenance of the structure and interface with existing railway signalling equipment to provide traffic management.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 1995Date of Patent: June 25, 1996Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: Theo C. Giras, Michael E. Colbaugh, C. Franklin Boyle
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Patent number: 5528246Abstract: A traffic radar processes Doppler return information by analysis of the received frequency spectrum in order to improve target identification and minimize interference and unwanted harmonics. Digital signal processing including transformation of the return information into the frequency domain is employed to provide multiple modes of operation including a stationary mode where either the strongest or the fastest Doppler return signal may be selectively recognized, and moving modes for monitoring traffic moving in both the opposite direction and the same direction as the patrol vehicle. In the moving modes either strongest or fastest signal processing may be elected, and operation when the patrol and target vehicles are moving in the same direction is provided irrespective of whether the patrol vehicle is moving faster or slower than the target vehicle. The speed of the patrol car is determined by recognizing a signature that exhibits an asymmetry due to the cosine effect.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1994Date of Patent: June 18, 1996Assignee: Kustom Signals, Inc.Inventors: Richard L. Henderson, John M. Kusek, Donald R. Bradrick
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Patent number: 5527005Abstract: An apparatus is provided for moving a movable switch point a selected distance as a result of the throw of a switch machine. The apparatus includes an operating rod connected to and movable by the switch machine and a switch point adjuster mounted directly to the switch point and movable by the operating rod. The switch point adjuster has an elongated housing with a bore provided therethrough, in which the operating rod is disposed through the housing bore. The switch point adjuster also has first and second adjusting nuts that are adjustably secured to the operating rod on opposed sides of the housing, preferably by mated threading. The operating rod is movable bidirectionally through the housing until one of the adjusting nuts contacts the housing. In this way, lost motion of the switch machine may be compensated for. The adjusting nuts preferably have a head portion and a body portion, in which the head portion has a width greater than the width of the body portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 1994Date of Patent: June 18, 1996Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventor: Leonard M. Wydotis
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Patent number: 5507456Abstract: A signaling apparatus that includes a transmitter having a step-square wave generator for generating a signaling waveform, which waveform is composed of a plurality of square wave signals, and which has an information signal encoded thereupon. The apparatus may also include a signaling waveform receiver, disposed on the railcar, and an information signal decoder, connected to the receiver, for extracting the information signal from the receiver. The stepped-square wave generator produces square waves such that a portion of the duty cycle of one of a plurality of square wave signals overlaps at least a portion of the duty cycle of at least one other of the plurality of square wave signals. A method for signaling in which a multi-stepped square waveform is generated, includes a waveform having a series of superimposed square waves, each of which having preselected amplitudes and duty cycles. An information signal can be encoded upon the multi-stepped carrier waveform such that a coded-carrier signal is created.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 1995Date of Patent: April 16, 1996Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventors: James P. Brown, Robert P. Bozio
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Patent number: 5507567Abstract: A system is disclosed to selectively initiate braking at a rear section of a railway train upon initiation of a selected front braking condition at the front section of the railway vehicle. The system utilizes an air sensor preferably constructed in the form of an insect excluder device to detect release of brake pipe air from an exhaust port upon initiation of braking at the front section of the vehicle. An appropriate signal is produced by the air sensor, thus permitting detector circuitry to detect that front braking has been initiated. A transmitter, typically located in the cab of the locomotive, is electrically connected to the detector circuitry. When the detector circuitry indicates that the selected front braking condition has been initiated, the transmitter transmits a brake initiation signal to a receiver located at the rear of the vehicle. The receiver then actuates pneumatic braking equipment at the rear to initiate rear braking.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 1995Date of Patent: April 16, 1996Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.Inventor: James P. Chew
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Patent number: 5504488Abstract: A traffic radar processes Doppler return information by analysis of the received frequency spectrum in order to improve target identification and minimize interference and unwanted harmonics. Digital signal processing including transformation of the return information into the frequency domain is employed to provide multiple modes of operation including a stationary mode where either the strongest or the fastest Doppler return signal may be selectively recognized, and moving modes for monitoring traffic moving in both the opposite direction and the same direction as the patrol vehicle. In the moving modes either strongest or fastest signal processing may be elected, and operation when the patrol and target vehicles are moving in the same direction is provided irrespective of whether the patrol vehicle is moving faster or slower than the target vehicle. The speed of the patrol car is determined by recognizing a signature that exhibits an asymmetry due to the cosine effect.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 1994Date of Patent: April 2, 1996Assignee: Kustom Signals, Inc.Inventors: Richard L. Henderson, John M. Kusek, Donald R. Bradrick