Patents Examined by Howard Beltran
  • Patent number: 4483253
    Abstract: A multiple axle railway truck having side frames with pedestals, roller bearings for the axles received in the pedestal jaws with clearance in a direction fore-and-aft of the vehicle to permit relative yawing motion of the axles. A yielding pad is provided between the bearing and the base of each pedestal jaw, and a transverse plank extends between the side frames to restrain fore-and-aft motion of the side frames and is torsionally flexible thereby permitting relative angular motion of the side frames in vertical planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Inventor: Harold A. List
  • Patent number: 4480370
    Abstract: A method of converting a tank such as a railway tank car into a heated tank to facilitate dispensing a congealable stored medium, wherein at least one end portion of the tank is removed and an elongated heat exchanger is inserted into the tank through the opened end. The heat exchanger is secured within the tank, a pre-determined distance from the bottom of the tank to define with the bottom a dead air space, the heat exchanger extending substantially longitudinally and transverselly across the entire bottom of the tank and downwardly sloping and extending to a drain valve. The heat exchanger is positioned in a sealed relationship with the walls of the tank. Thereafter, the portion of the removed end of the tank is replaced in a sealed relationship with the heat exchanger. The method includes a particular positioning of the heat exchanger in a heat relationship with the drain valve. The method further includes the positioning of inlet-outlet openings in the heat exchanger adjacent the drain valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Inventor: Richard P. Loevinger
  • Patent number: 4480723
    Abstract: In a retarder system for railway wagons, a retarder device which includes a rotatable cylinder resiliently urged into a working position adjacent a rail and provided with a flange with a helical contact surface. The flange of a railway wagon wheel which passes in a working or first direction influences the contact surface of the cylinder to set the cylinder rotating thereby pumping a hydraulic medium through a throttled opening to obtain a braking action. The cylinder is provided with an elongated projection arranged parallel to the axis of the cylinder, which extends radially from the cylinder and is directed, in a position of readiness of the cylinder, substantially towards the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: AB Hagglund & Soner
    Inventors: Hakan Ingvast, Bo Karlsson
  • Patent number: 4480555
    Abstract: A hydraulic stabilizing device utilized to dampen the sway of railway cars comprising a double acting hydraulic cylinder having a center position wherein the fluid is locked in the opposing chambers of the cylinder except for high pressure relief once the piston is forced out of the center position as the railway car traverses a curve. Longitudinal groove means in the cylinder barrel opens up a restricted bypass across the cylinder piston so as to allow a conventional dampening function at all other positions of the cylinder except the center position. The stabilizer cylinder also includes a concentrically spaced sleeve surrounding the cylinder forming a precharged accumulator chamber for resupplying either of the cylinder chambers through check valves in the cylinder heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: The Cessna Aircraft Company
    Inventors: James E. Shafer, Earl M. Ford
  • Patent number: 4480554
    Abstract: A single axle railroad wheel truck is disclosed having two wheels joined by a single axle. A frame supported on the wheels and axle defines four spaced apart hanger flanges. A pair of cross members parallel to the axle for supporting a railroad car body are supported on pairs of hanger members directly connected between a pair of said hanger flanges and each one of the cross members. Springs are disposed upon the cross members for supporting a car body thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Inventors: Rene H. Brodeur, Boris S. Terlecky, Ronald P. Sellberg, William R. Halliar
  • Patent number: 4478153
    Abstract: A coupling assembly is provided to control the movement between two structural bodies when different forces are applied thereto. Initially, a restraint and limited movement is permitted by an elastomeric member for relatively low differential forces. With high differential forces, the restraint is overcome and the structural bodies move with respect to each other on a low friction member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Inventor: Walter S. Eggert, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4478155
    Abstract: An improved container for bulk cargo is provided with a peripheral wall, a top, and a bottom. The top defines a longitudinally extending central ridge and the bottom defines two spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending skirts separated by a central recess. The contour of the top generally corresponds to the contour of the bottom such that multiple containers can be stacked one over the other. The container is provided with a perforated floor which simultaneously braces the peripheral wall against spreading and provides a support surface for palletized cargo and the like. The floor perforations allow bulk cargo to fall from the upper portions of the container to the lower portions of the container. A bulk cargo loading door is provided in the top along the uppermost portion of the central ridge, and two bulk unloading doors are provided along the lowermost portions of the skirts. In addition, end doors are provided for moving palletized cargo into and out of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company
    Inventors: Lawrence Cena, Ted D. Mason
  • Patent number: 4476788
    Abstract: A heated tank such as in a railroad tank car has a heat exchanger spaced from the bottom of the car to define a dead air space to insulate the heat exchanger from the bottom. The heat exchanger extends substantially longitudinally and transversely across the entire bottom of the car to provide a large heating transfer surface to the lading supported by the exchanger. A portion of the exchanger substantially encompasses a discharge valve of the tank car to provide heat transfer to the valve during unloading. The heat exchanger slopes toward the discharge valve to facilitate total removal of the lading. An inlet and an outlet associated with the heat exchanger are disposed adjacent the discharge valve for additional transfer of heat to the discharge valve. Baffles in the heat exchanger define a plurality of serpentine passages for conducting a heating medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Inventor: Richard Loevinger
  • Patent number: 4475762
    Abstract: A wheel chair restraint system and apparatus. The system includes a foldable seat having a bottom connected to a seat back for movement about a pivot axis between a lowered position and a raised position. The apparatus has a frame base connected to a lower surface of the seat bottom. First and second parallel lock pin supports extend from the frame base and have aligned bores for receiving a lock pin. A guide plate extends from the frame base and cooperates with the first lock pin support to define a space for receiving the wheel to be restrained. The lock pin is movable by a first spring from a retracted position to an engaged position in which the lock pin is supported by the lock pin supports and has a first end protruding beyond the first lock pin support to restrain movement of a wheel. A lever is provided for moving the lock pin back into its retracted position to allow release of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: U.S. Seating Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur DeLong, Prem M. Balani
  • Patent number: 4475463
    Abstract: The present structure provides for a plurality of members for maintaining a pair of laterally spaced side frames of a single axle truck in a squared relationship. The members are joined to the side frames by detach-safe connections, wherein latches are formed at the ends of the members to seatably engage with notches formed on brackets of the side frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: AMSTED Industries Incorporated
    Inventors: Lynn K. Tilly, Richard G. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 4474267
    Abstract: A method for controlling car body roll in high capacity railraod freight cars, in accordance with which a hydro-pneumatic roll control unit is incorporated in the car truck spring groups that support the respective truck bolsters. The roll control unit comprises a base housing defining a lower or outer cylinder having an upstanding piston rod structure equipped with a piston head that reciprocably mounts a tubular ram having a ram head that operates in the outer cylinder and defines an upper or inner cylinder in which the base housing piston head operates. An annular rolling seal is received in circumambient relation about and connected to both cylinders invaginating leak free relation thereto, which defines an annular reservoir about said cylinders with which both cylinders have communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignee: Holland Company
    Inventor: Kenneth G. Empson
  • Patent number: 4473331
    Abstract: A cargo shoring device and foot assembly therefor is disclosed. The foot assembly includes a body formed for mounting to a cargo support member, an extensible element movably mounted to the body and carrying a wall engaging foot portion, manually engageable pivotally mounted lever formed and coupled for extension and retraction of the extensible element upon rotation of the lever and a latch element formed in the body to engage the lever when rotated to a position extending the extensible element. By the lever is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the latch element by manipulating the lever laterally of the plane of rotation of the lever in order to enable manipulation of the lever by one hand of the operator to effect extension of the foot portion, latching and unlatching of the lever and retraction of the foot portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1984
    Assignee: Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation
    Inventor: Martin L. Wisecarver
  • Patent number: 4471990
    Abstract: A railroad car wheel is designed to have an amount of displacement of 40 mm or larger, this amount being the amount of displacement of a rim portion relative to a boss portion of the wheel which is the distance between two lines perpendicular to the axis of the wheel, one from the midpoint of the thickness of a plate portion adjacent to ends of curves of the rim fillets and the other from the midpoint of thickness of the plate portion adjacent to ends of curves of the boss fillets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1984
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Hirakawa, Haruo Sakamoto, Shigeru Suzuki, Shigeo Sugawara
  • Patent number: 4470543
    Abstract: A rail fastening is provided which permits vertical adjustment of the rail relative to the bed. A shoulder is secured to the bed and a clip retainer adjustably mounted on the shoulder. The clip retainer includes a clip receiving bore in which one end of the clip is received. The clip retainer may be adjusted relative to the shoulder to adjust vertically the position of the clip receiving bore relative to the bed. Intermeshing teeth are provided between the shoulder and the clip retainer to lock the retainer to the shoulder in the required position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Inventors: Laurence W. Gray, Ronald J. Aitken
  • Patent number: 4469028
    Abstract: A primary suspension system for a railway car comprises one or more leaf springs configured to provide vertical and horizontal portions for vertical and longitudinal compliance. A portion of the leaf spring is curved to wrap around a portion on the wheel journal bearing and rest on the top thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: The Budd Company
    Inventor: Walter C. Dean, II
  • Patent number: 4464997
    Abstract: A conveyor comprising a track formed by a pair of longitudinally extending track members providing a pair of transversely spaced supporting surfaces and a pair of transversely spaced guide surfaces; and a trolley having a body on which supporting wheels and guide rollers are rotatably mounted. The trolley body includes a shield member that is disposed adjacent to the guide rollers, extends radially outwardly of the periphery thereof, and overlaps the guide track surfaces engaged thereby. A socket, formed in the trolley body and having one end closed by the shield member, movably supports a driving dog which has a stem portion projecting into the socket and engaged therein by rollers and wear plates carried by the trolley body. The shield member is located above the trolley and forms a cover that protects the moving parts of the trolley from contamination and decreases the possibility of a foreign object becoming wedged between the guide rollers and guide track surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1984
    Assignee: Jervis B. Webb Company
    Inventor: Clarence A. Dehne
  • Patent number: 4464089
    Abstract: An open ended tubular anchor member is arranged to be fitted on a conventional shoring beam and has a strap confining opening extending therethrough. A flexible strap passes through the opening and is arranged to engage a load and firmly bind the load relative to the shoring beam. At least two of the strap confining openings may be provided to facilitate the extension of straps in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Inventor: Daniel G. Allen
  • Patent number: 4462315
    Abstract: A power-and-free trolley conveyor comprising a power line rail, a free line rail disposed immediately below the power line rail, another free line rail provided at one side of the free line rail in parallel thereto, and carriers suspended from the free line rails and each thereby supported at its opposite sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1984
    Assignee: Nakanishi Metal Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 4461217
    Abstract: A bogie for a rail vehicle comprises a hollow jacket having opposite open end faces forming an electric motor housing. A stator winding assembly is press fit into the hollow jacket and receives a rotatably mounted motor shaft which has an axis extending parallel to the direction of travel of the rail vehicle. A cross-beam having side parts is connected directly, for example, by welding to the hollow jacket. A motor bearing bracket is connected and closes the opposite end faces of the hollow jacket and carries a bearing through which the motor shaft is mounted. The motor shaft is connected to a miter gear, a differential gear, Cardan shafts and couplings, to bogie wheels. Double linkages may be connected to axles of the wheels with wheels on opposite sides of the bogie and at either end of the bogie having linkages which are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1984
    Assignee: Thyssen Industrie AG
    Inventors: Hanjochen Girod, Gerhard Korn
  • Patent number: 4459918
    Abstract: A truck or double bogie having forward and rear elemental bogies (1, 2). The vehicle body is carried at the middle by a spanner bolster or two longitudinal coupling beams (8, 9) which are supported, at each end and on each elemental bogie, on the ends of a transverse swingle bar (12, 13), resilient blocks (15) being inserted between the swingle bar and the bolsters (3, 4) of the elemental bogie. The buffer and coupling bodies (34) are arranged at the end of a guide shaft (32) which is freely articulated on a vertical central pivot (30) rigidly fixed to the vehicle body and on the vertical pivot (5) of the forward elemental bogie (1). The device is intended for use with bogies for railroad vehicles intended to run on poor quality track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: Creusot-Loire
    Inventor: Claude Stef