Patents Examined by Jason C Smith
  • Patent number: 10865527
    Abstract: A tie plate rotator which may be mounted in line of a tie plate distribution system along a horizontal or angled conveyor which may take various forms but functionally allows or provides for movement of tie plates from one location to a second. The tie plate rotator receives tie plates and senses a position of the field side or gauge side of the tie plate. Subsequently, the turner will rotate the tie plate if rotation to an alternate orientation is desirable. The tie plate turner also senses a position of the rotating structure so that a controller can determine a position of the tie plate rotator during operation. The tie plates are subsequently directed to a second conveyor for further processing of the tie plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: B & B METALS, INC.
    Inventor: Coty T. Coots
  • Patent number: 10850755
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: William Lefebvre, Matthew Bonnes, Darren Dragish, Andrew Martin, Thomas P. Fuhs
  • Patent number: 10850752
    Abstract: A switch for a point machine, point machine having said switch, and a method for operating said point machine. The switch opening and closing a circuit providing current to the motor of the point machine. The switch having an elastic element, such as a spring, to create “snap-action” to open and close the circuit. Operation of the motor compressing the spring to open the circuit and cut-off power to the motor when the point machine has completed movement of a point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen Baker, Dion Marriott
  • Patent number: 10850754
    Abstract: This application describes methods and apparatus for monitoring of rail networks using fibre optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), especially for condition monitoring. One method involves taking (902) a first data set corresponding to measurement signals from a plurality of channels of at least one fibre optic distributed acoustic sensor (100) having a sensing fibre (101) deployed to monitor at least part of the path of the rail network (201). The first data set corresponds to measurement signals acquired as a train (202) passed along a first monitored section of the rail network. The method involves identifying (903) a speed of the train through the first monitored section and dividing (904) the first data set into a plurality of time windows. Each time window contains a different subset of the first data set, with the measurement signal for each successive channel in a time window being delayed with respect to the previous channel by a time related to the identified train speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Optasense Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Patrick Cole
  • Patent number: 10850751
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bearing block assembly for hinging of a coupling rod to a carriage body. The bearing block assembly includes a bearing shell unit and a bearing block with a flange for connecting the bearing block assembly to the carriage body and has an open bearing shell receiving region for at least partial reception of the bearing shell unit. The bearing block assembly has at least one guide extending in a longitudinal direction over at least a section of the extension of the bearing block. The bearing shell unit connects to the bearing block via at least one tear-off element and/or at least one shear-off element and is movably guided on the at least one guide in a longitudinal direction relative to same when the connecting element is actuated, thereby releasing the connection between the bearing shell unit and the bearing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Mathias Wipfler, Renato Guimarães Aquino de Oliveira
  • Patent number: 10843714
    Abstract: A carbody of a railcar includes an underframe, a side bodyshell, and a roof bodyshell. At least one of the underframe, the side bodyshell, and the roof bodyshell includes: an outer plate portion facing a car outside; and a reinforced portion joined to an inside surface of the outer plate portion and forming at least one internal space between the reinforced portion and the outer plate portion. At least one sound absorbing hole communicating with the internal space is formed on the outer plate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Akiyama, Jyoji Yamada, Shinichiro Hata, Yoshikazu Ohashi, Shinya Kimura
  • Patent number: 10835834
    Abstract: A rail coaster operates as a cross between a roller coaster and a zip line. A rail may be suspended under a frame by flexible cables or solid brackets. The rail may turn, incline, decline, or twist, but need not twist to still provide a “rolling” degree of freedom for a rider. An eddy current brake provides proportional braking as a function of speed. A cam-adjustment-axle (eccentric) carries certain wheels to provide finely divided, discrete, but incrementally small adjustments of idler wheel clearances to accommodate variations in the rail, wheel wear, and onsite adjustment of tolerances for curvature, unevenness, and friction. A “static universal” bracket provides adjustment in four degrees of freedom, three of translation and one of rotation in securing a rail to a supporting frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: HIGH VELOCITY DESIGNS, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Dean Wilson, Christopher Ryan Resnicke
  • Patent number: 10835833
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a system includes a dual-track loop including a first track loop and a second track loop, a single-track loop spaced apart from the dual-track loop, and a cross-track extending between the dual-track loop and the single-track loop. The system also includes a platform disposed on the cross-track. The platform is configured to translate between a position aligned with the first track loop and the second track loop of the dual-track loop and a position aligned with a first portion and a second portion of the single-track loop. The system further includes a turntable coupled to the platform and configured to rotate a ride vehicle positioned on the turntable and to change an orientation of the ride vehicle relative to a fixed portion of the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Barry Grogan, Brandon Mallory Bauman, Ted W. Van Winkle
  • Patent number: 10836412
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for preventing an accident that minimizes the number of monitor devices and prevents a collision accident to reduce the work and cost burdens. The system for preventing an accident 1 of the present invention includes an imaging device 10, a monitor server 20, and a warning device 60. The control unit 30 of the monitor server 20 executes the area receiving module 31 to receive input of an approach area as an area where a vehicle approaches and a danger area where is danger from an approaching vehicle based on a base image taken by the imaging device 10. The control unit 30 executes the first judgment module 33 to judge whether or not a vehicle enters the approach area based on an image taken by the imaging device 10. If a vehicle enters the approach area, the control unit 30 executes the second judgment module 34 to judge whether or not a person, etc., enters the approach area or the danger area. If a person, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: OPTIM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shunji Sugaya
  • Patent number: 10828936
    Abstract: A vehicular ladder including a body comprising a first plastic and one or more first teeth arranged on the body, wherein the one or more first teeth include a second plastic that is different to the first plastic, and the body is moulded around portions of the one or more first teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: IP RESERVE PTY LTD
    Inventor: Ty Gerard Hermans
  • Patent number: 10829132
    Abstract: A vehicle body inclination controller includes an air spring, an air reservoir, valve devices, an acquisition section, and a determination section. The determination section compares, with a predetermined threshold, at least one of a value of a ratio between supply control information of a supply valve and exhaust control information of an exhaust valve in the same valve device among the valve devices, a value of a ratio between pieces of the supply control information of the supply valves of different valve devices among the valve devices, or a value of a ratio between pieces of the exhaust control information of the exhaust valves of different valve devices among the valve devices, and determines that a failure occurs in the same valve device or at least one of the different valve devices when the value of the ratio exceeds the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CENTRAL JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Tanase, Tsukasa Hosomi, Toru Tatsuno, Kota Terada
  • Patent number: 10822003
    Abstract: A magnetically clampable rail shunt (1) comprising two magnetic clamps (10), each clamp having a magnetic device for attaching the clamp to one of two parallel railway rails (R1, R2) of a railway track by magnetic force, and an electrical conductor (20) electrically connecting the two magnetic clamps (10) for shunting the two parallel railway rails. The rail shunt (1) is characterised by a variable electrical resistor assembly (30) for adjusting the electrical resistance of the rail shunt (1), said variable electrical resistor assembly (30) being connected in series between the two magnetic clamps (10) via said electrical conductor (20). Preferred application to testing of track circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: ALSTOM Transport Technologies
    Inventor: Pier-Alessandro Aisa
  • Patent number: 10821837
    Abstract: The invention provides in some aspects a transport system comprising a guideway having a plurality of regions in which one or more vehicles are propelled, where each such vehicle includes a magnet. Disposed along each region are a plurality of propulsion coils, each comprising one or more turns that are disposed about a common axis, such that the respective common axes of the plurality of coils in that region are (i) substantially aligned with one another, and (ii) orthogonal to a direction in which the vehicles are to be propelled in that region. The plurality of coils of at least one such region are disposed on opposing sides of the magnets of vehicles being propelled along that region so as to exert a propulsive force of substance on those magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tracy M. Clark, Todd S. Webber, Michael Bottasso, Robert Mosher, Nathan King
  • Patent number: 10822748
    Abstract: A railway track trolley includes a pair of carriages and a workhead mounted to at least one of the pair of carriages. The carriage is adapted to locate on one of a pair of railway track whereas the other carriage locates on the other railway track. The carriages are interconnected via a coupling assembly to permit independent sliding of the carriages relative to one another. In operation, at least one of the carriages is moved along the corresponding railway track wherein its associated workhead is adapted to implement work at that railway track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Melvelle Equipment Corp. Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Andrew Melvelle, Ben de Rooy, Gary Morris, Jason Casboult
  • Patent number: 10815623
    Abstract: In a railroad system a track includes ties positioned at predetermined intervals and supporting a pair of rails. Shoulders are disposed in pairs adjacent to the sides of each rail and are partially imbedded in the ties to limit the lateral movement of the rails and define the track gauge. Over time, friction between the insulators and the shoulders may cause excessive wear and a gap therebetween. This wear is compensated by a shim attached to the shoulders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: PANDROL LIMITED
    Inventors: Frank Howard Coats, Scott Tripple, Todd Finley, Dillon Alves Benros
  • Patent number: 10814895
    Abstract: A method displays a course of a process of at least one railway safety unit. While using at least one device control, process data supplied by the at least one railway safety unit, are converted by dual-channel processing into first and second image data of the course of the process to be displayed. The image data are output to be displayed on a data display unit. In order to simplify the displaying of the course of the process, a pair of display spectacles having a first and a second display is used as a data display unit. The first display displays a first representation of the first image data delivered thereto that is visually detectable by the right eye, and the second display displays a second representation of the second image data delivered thereto that is visually detectable by the left eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH
    Inventor: Marc Burkhardt
  • Patent number: 10814238
    Abstract: Methods and related apparatus embodiments are disclosed that allow combinations of legacy devices and new higher capability devices to be compatibly integrated on a model railroad control system to provide; higher system speed, new control capabilities and lowered control latency delays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Inventor: Anthony John Ireland
  • Patent number: 10808362
    Abstract: A tamping unit for tamping a track has tamping tines which are designed for immersion into a ballast bed and which can be set in vibrations by a vibration drive. The vibration drive includes a housing in which a shaft including an eccentric is arranged for rotation about a shaft axis. A transmission element for transmitting a vibratory motion is mounted on the eccentric. The eccentric is connected to the shaft in a rotation-locked and radially displaceable manner, wherein the position of the eccentric relative to the shaft is adjustable in radial direction by an adjustment device. Thus, while retaining the advantages of an eccentric drive, it is possible to adjust vibration parameters during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Georg Seyrlehner
  • Patent number: 10807622
    Abstract: This trackside controller for at least one piece of trackside equipment of a railway network, comprising a processor, a memory unit associated with the processor, and at least one communication port configured to be directly connected to the piece of trackside equipment. The memory unit comprises an area dedicated to storing a logic object representative of said at least one piece of trackside equipment, the logic object being executable by the processor and comprising a plurality of logic rules defining the operation of said at least one piece of trackside equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: ALSTOM Transport Technologies
    Inventors: Guillaume Ginis, Julien Mulpas
  • Patent number: 10807617
    Abstract: A retaining system for a mass-transit vehicle adapted to travel on a guideway includes a longitudinal retaining track having two retaining rails. Each retaining rail has a projection projecting inwardly toward the other retaining rail. A grabbing mechanism of the mass-transit vehicle has grabbing portions extending outwardly underneath the projections of the retaining rails. The grabbing portions are pivotally and resiliently connected to a wheelset of the mass-transit vehicle proximate a midplane of the body. When the mass-transit vehicle rolls on one side past a predetermined angle, an opposite one of the grabbing portions is operative to contact a corresponding one of the horizontal projections. The roll of the mass-transit vehicle is thereby gradually stopped under a force developed by a corresponding resilient element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: David Bazinet, Louis Dumoulin