Patents Examined by Jason C Smith
  • Patent number: 11085153
    Abstract: This method for manufacturing a railway track support comprising a plurality of prefabricated elements (28) comprises the following successive steps: providing, in a production zone (16) for prefabricated elements (28) located near an installation zone (14), a movable insertion machine (52) configured to arrange at least one insert (34) in a fresh concrete block, the production zone being separate from the installation zone; pouring and shaping fresh concrete in order to form individual fresh concrete blocks having predetermined dimensions; arranging at least one insert in each fresh concrete block using the movable insertion machine (52); drying the fresh concrete blocks to obtain the prefabricated elements (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: Andrea Ninni
  • Patent number: 11077731
    Abstract: There is described a hi-rail device for mounting on a vehicle, comprising a linkage between an axle assembly for holding wheels and a mounting assembly. The linkage, pivotally connected to an upper pivot connection thereof, is foldable and unfoldable to translate the axle assembly relative to the upper pivot connection. An active suspension between the linkage and the mounting assembly is provided and comprises a suspension body to swivel about the mounting assembly, actuated by a spring proximally urging on the suspension body to provide the swivel. The suspension body comprising the upper connection to the linkage, which can move along with the suspension body to provide active suspension. Also, a locking pin, extending through the linkage, can be locked in a slot using a hydraulic cylinder, distinct from a hydraulic cylinder for deployment, and which comprises a spring for default locking not involving hydraulic power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: TECHNOLOGIE CONTINENTAL RAILWORKS I INC. / CONTINE
    Inventors: Iman Hazrati-Ashtiani, Francois Aube
  • Patent number: 11077007
    Abstract: An apparatus for aiding service providers who service customers situated in a relatively fixed position includes a floor, an elevated customer support surface disposed in a first position on the floor, a curved rail connected to the floor in a fixed position about the elevated customer support surface at the first position having a first end with a stop and a second end with a stop. A powered roller mechanism operably connects to the curved rail surface having a chair support surface maintained above the rail and limited in travel between the stops. A service provider chair for handling a customer on the customer support surface is mounted to the chair support surface in a manner to be movable along the rail and a controller on the chair operably connects to the powered roller mechanism for controlling movement of the chair along the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventor: Phillip Collie, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11077873
    Abstract: A machine learning system (100) for train route optimization includes a machine learning module (120) in communication with an optimization module (110) and including instructions stored in a memory that when executed by a processor (82) cause the machine learning module (120) to receive a plurality of schedules for railroad vehicles travelling through a track network transmitted by the optimization module (110), prioritize the plurality of schedules by applying at least one business rule (140) to the plurality of schedules based on dynamically learned behavior, and provide a prioritized list of schedules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Badar K. Khan, Michael Golm, Michael Swieczkowski
  • Patent number: 11065983
    Abstract: A railway transportation power supply construction comprising a power supply rail and a return current rail respectively secured on two sides of an insulating base and isolated by the insulating base. A power supply arm and a return current arm are mounted to a bogie of a vehicle and insulated from the vehicle body by means of insulation rings, the bogie provided with a drive mechanism. The power supply arm has a front end connected to one end of an input port of the drive mechanism, and a terminal end in contact with the power supply rail. The return current arm has a front end connected to the other end of the input port of the drive mechanism, and a terminal end in contact with the return current rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: SOUTHWEST JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Qunzhan Li
  • Patent number: 11059498
    Abstract: A trolley 100 for a rail 10 is described. The trolley 100 comprises a frame 110, a set S of wheels 120, including a first wheel 120A and a second wheel 120B, rotatably coupled to the frame 110 and an attachment member 130, coupled to the frame 110, for suspension of a load W therefrom, in use. The first wheel 120A is rotatable in a first plane P1 about a first axis A1 and the second wheel 120B is rotatable in a second plane P2 about a second axis A2. The first plane P1 and the second plane P2 define a line L. The trolley 100 is arrangeable in a first configuration, wherein the attachment member 130 is arranged at a first angular displacement D1 about the line L. The trolley 100 is arrangeable in a second configuration, wherein the attachment member 130 is arranged at a second angular displacement D2 about the line L, wherein the first angular displacement D1 and the second angular displacement D2 are different. A rail assembly 1, including the trolley 100 and the rail 10, is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: CASTREE PROJECTS LIMITED
    Inventor: David Nicholas Evans
  • Patent number: 11053099
    Abstract: A rail structure for a bearing wheel of a crane includes surfaces receiving rolling and horizontal forces. The rail structure includes two surfaces located at a distance from one another and receiving rolling forces. The rail structure preferably includes at least one basic plate and, arranged on top of it, a wear surface arrangement. The surfaces receiving rolling forces are formed to this wear surface arrangement at a distance from one another. A combination of a bearing wheel and a rail structure of the above type is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: KONECRANES GLOBAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Juha Peippo
  • Patent number: 11053074
    Abstract: A transport vehicle system includes: a plurality of transport vehicles that transport articles; a main track, and a plurality of branch tracks branching off from the main track at different positions of the main track; and a controller that, with each of the branch tracks and a part of the main track taken as a reciprocation traveling track, causes each of the plurality of transport vehicles to reciprocate in the reciprocation traveling track and transport an article, and when a transport vehicle is placed on any of the reciprocation traveling tracks, the controller causes a transport vehicle that is reciprocating on a reciprocation traveling track in front of the reciprocation traveling track of placement destination in the extending direction, to retreat to the branch track in the reciprocation traveling track and thereafter causes passage of the transport vehicle to be placed through the main track in the reciprocation traveling track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 11053644
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tamping unit (1) for tamping sleepers (3) of a track (4), comprising oppositely positioned tamping tools (14, 17) which are connected in each case to a squeezing cylinder (9, 15) for generating a squeezing motion, wherein an eccentric drive (11) is provided for generating a vibratory motion. In this, it is provided that a first squeezing cylinder (9) is connected mechanically to the eccentric drive (11), and that a first pressure chamber (18) of the first squeezing cylinder (9) is connected hydraulically via a connecting line (22, 27) to a second pressure chamber (20) of a second squeezing cylinder (15) in order to transmit a pressure change, generated in the first pressure chamber (18) by means of the eccentric drive (11), to the second pressure chamber (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Piasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Thomas Philipp
  • Patent number: 11052927
    Abstract: Disclosed is a railway hopper car comprising a car body (6), a top cover (1, 2), a bogie (24), a braking device (21), a coupler buffer device (22), and a bottom door (25, 28) and a bottom door opening and closing mechanism (23) mounted at a discharge port at the bottom of a chassis. The railway hopper car further comprises a longitudinal saddle (31) disposed in the center of the car body (6) in the length direction thereof and arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body (6). By providing the longitudinal saddle (31), the sequential requirement to close the left bottom door (25) and the right bottom door (28) is eliminated, thereby simplifying the structure of the linkage bottom door opening and closing mechanism and reducing manufacture and maintenance costs thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: CRRC Yangtze Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liangcai Lin, Biaowen Xiang, Chuqiang Tang, Hong Cui, Yueming Hu, Song Wang, Xuebin Zhu, Rui Yan, Chuanping Zheng, Qi Wei
  • Patent number: 11052781
    Abstract: A non-contact power supply system supplies electric power in a non-contact manner from a plurality of power transmission coils disposed on a road to a power receiving coil mounted on a vehicle traveling on the road. The non-contact power supply system includes a first estimation unit configured to estimate a future position of the vehicle, based on a speed of the vehicle, and a specifying unit configured to specify a power transmission coil that has to be in an activated state that is a state of being able to supply electric power to the power receiving coil, among the power transmission coils, based on the estimated future position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasunao Yoshizaki
  • Patent number: 11034365
    Abstract: A modular platform system includes a setback platform system for a shared track rail system on a ground level. The shared track rail system is usable by a commuter, regional and intercity rail vehicle and a freight vehicle. The setback platform includes a first path at a first height with respect to the ground level. The setback platform also includes a shuttle platform. The shuttle platform is at a second height in a first position different from the first height. The shuttle platform is configured to be moved from the first position to a second position different from the first position. A front edge of the shuttle platform is farther away from a centerline of the shared track rail system if the shuttle platform is in the first portion than if the shuttle platform is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: National Railroad Passenger Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Talbot, Kyle Giannaula, Robert Kokx, Christopher Kattola, Edward Boryn, Toniya Camilleri, Glenn Ludeman
  • Patent number: 11034250
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for activating a segment for enabling electrical power delivery to vehicles, the segment being one of a plurality of segments consecutively arranged along a single track line of an electric road system that further comprises a base station, the method comprising: receiving, at the base station, identification data transmitted from a vehicle, the identification data identifying the vehicle; associating an activation key with the identification data with each other; transmitting the activation key from the base station to the segment; receiving, at the segment and via short range radio communication, an activation request sent from the vehicle, wherein the activation request comprises an identification key associated with the identification data; confirming, at the segment, that the received identification key is associated with the received activation key; and upon positive confirmation, activating the segment for enabling power delivery to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: ELONROAD AB
    Inventors: Dan Zethraeus, Andreas Sörensen
  • Patent number: 11027755
    Abstract: A railroad car truck including a first side frame, a second side frame, a bolster, and a first plurality of warp restraints, each first warp restraint configured to prevent warping of the bolster relative to the side frames. Various embodiments include opposing bearings of each warp restraint that engage each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Standard Car Truck Company
    Inventors: Ronald D. Golembiewski, Andrew J. Morin
  • Patent number: 11027615
    Abstract: A system for determining the position of a mover as the mover transitions between segments along a track includes a first controller on a first track segment and a second controller on a second track segment. The first and second track segments are adjacent to each other and a junction is located between the two segments. The first and second controllers are in communication with each other and share a locally determined position value with the other controller. Each controller determines a compensated position value as a function of both a locally determined position value and the shared position value received from the other controller. Each controller utilizes the compensated value of the position value as determined on that controller to control operation of the mover while it is present on the corresponding track segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuhong Huang
  • Patent number: 11027753
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a railroad grid, a set of railcars, and a set of stations. The railroad grid comprises a set of tracks. The set of tracks can have a spacing between outer rail center lines of at least 50 feet. At least one of the set of railcars can be constructed to receive a set of tractor and trailer pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventor: Wellington Corbin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11027754
    Abstract: A transport installation includes a traction member extending in a circuit and associated with an external power source so as to be moved along the circuit, a vehicle having a power storage system, a motor system, a generator system and a fixed support adjacent to the circuit. The generator system of the vehicle includes a generator that may be activated to supply power to the storage system when the vehicle is coupled to the traction member and driven along the circuit by the traction member. The motor system of the vehicle includes a motor that may be activated to receive power from the storage system and move the vehicle relative to the fixed support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Vinci Construction
    Inventor: Jérôme Stubler
  • Patent number: 11021179
    Abstract: A method for detecting whether a point rail is attached to a stock rail is disclosed. The method is performed by using a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor. Each of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor is configured to detect whether the point rail is attached to the corresponding one of the pair of stock rails, convert a pressure signal between the point rail and the stock rails into a voltage signal, and transmit the voltage signal to a signal processor. The signal processor is configured to process and transmit the processed voltage signal to a monitoring center having a host computer. The host computer is configured to control an operation of a switch in response to the detected pressure value collected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor by using a PID control algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: EAST CHINA JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jun Hu, Mengfei Wu, Kangyu Liang, Yuqi Wei, Hao Liu, Junjie Yang
  • Patent number: 11021080
    Abstract: Section insulator for an overhead contact line arranged for being placed between two isolated sections of said overhead contact line, said section insulator having an insulating element placed between two contact wires of two adjacent sections of an overhead line; two clamps respectively connected on one side to a respective contact wire and on the other side to a connecting plate arranged for being in turn connected to the insulating element, so that the tensile force due to the contact wires applies along the axis of the insulating bar; and supporting means directly connected to the insulating element through the connecting plates and arranged for supporting the section insulator to the overhead line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Silvano Micheli, Cristian Bormetti
  • Patent number: 11014580
    Abstract: Underground distribution system for the distribution of goods in an urban environment including at least one micro-tunnel forming at least one loop, extending under the foundations of preexisting surface buildings and/or infrastructures, in which goods, the transportation of which is automated, circulate, and a plurality of exchange stations exchanging with the surface, each including a shaft allowing goods to be lowered down to the micro-tunnel and raised back up after they have been transported within the micro-tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: VINCI CONSTRUCTION
    Inventors: Jerome Stubler, Jean-Serge Boissavit, Maxime Trocme