Patents Examined by Zachary Kuhfuss
  • Patent number: 8640628
    Abstract: The invention relates to a linear permanent magnet driving system and a permanent magnet driving maglev train rail system, the linear permanent magnet driving system comprises spiral rotors and stators, wherein at least one of the spiral rotor and the stator adopts the structure having a permanent magnet while the other one adopts the structure having the permanent magnet or a magnetizer; when the spiral rotors are driven by an engine to rotate, linear motion of the spiral rotors is achieved by means of the magnetic force between both, and speed of the linear motion of the spiral rotors can reach supersonic speed at most. By applying the linear permanent magnet driving system to the permanent magnet driving maglev train rail system, the entire rail can avoid the use of both permanent magnet and driving coil, and the construction cost of maglev train rail is equivalent to that of the current high-speed wheel/rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventor: Zhongchen Liu
  • Patent number: 8640630
    Abstract: A heavy duty torsion bar assembly, particularly an anti-roll bar assembly for a rail vehicle, includes a lever which is mounted on the bar by an oil injection taper fit, the cooperating surfaces having a drainage groove and being formed to a tolerance of IT7 or better, wherein the final assembled position is determined by a pre-defined axial displacement of the lever from an initial position defined by manual engagement of the two parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Bombardier Transporation GmbH
    Inventors: Duncan Gilmartin, Paul Butler
  • Patent number: 8613410
    Abstract: A device detects an occupied state or a free state of a track section and has a transmitter for feeding a transmission signal in the form of an alternating voltage into the running rails of the track section and at least one receiver for receiving a reception signal which is brought about by a transmission of the transmission signal via the running rails of the track section. In order to be able to detect faults in the device, in particular cable faults, particularly reliably and at the same time cost-effectively, the device accordingly is configured to determine a phase shift between the transmission signal and the reception signal. A method for operating such a device is further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peer Bohlmann, Gerald Lude, Bernd Raschke
  • Patent number: 8608115
    Abstract: A point rail is shiftable transversely on an upper face of a rail base plate between an engaged position bearing on a longitudinally extending and fixed stock rail and a disengaged position spaced transversely of the stock rail. A roller assembly has a mounting plate securable to the rail base plate, a roller support pivotal about a support axis on the rail base plate, a roller carried on the roller support, and a spring biasing the roller upward with a predetermined spring force into a lift position with the roller projecting upward past the upper face for supporting the point rail on the roller. Thus this assembly supports the point rail and, in the engaged position, presses it against the support cleats and the stock rail and it is an integral part of one of the rail base plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Schwihag AG
    Inventors: Tilmann Ruetzel, Frank Meyer, Bernd Wientges
  • Patent number: 8607998
    Abstract: A railway car yoke includes a nose end and at least two straps adjoining the nose end. At least one top strap adjoins a top portion of the nose end and at least one bottom strap adjoins a bottom portion of the nose end. The railway car yoke also includes a butt end adjoining the at least two straps such that the nose end and the butt end are separated by the at least two straps. The butt end comprises at least one concave contour along an outside surface of the butt end. The outside surface is a surface along the butt end opposite the nose end that extends from a top surface of the at least one top strap to a bottom surface of the at least one bottom strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: McConway & Torley LLC
    Inventors: Richard G. McMillen, Anthony J. Sicilia, Kevin S. Saeler
  • Patent number: 8607711
    Abstract: The Innovative Four Railroad Track Systems expands present two track rail systems to support the use of twenty foot wide cars that will simplify the loading, unloading and therefore transportation of many goods, especially vehicles and similar sized construction or farm equipment. The extra two rails are added on the outside of the current track in single rail lines. The expanded width of the cars allows for loading and unloading from the side which can be facilitated in the case of vehicles through a tiered loading dock much the same as is done with a ferry, hence the name “train ferry”. This will drastically reduce the time and effort required and revolutionizes the bulk transportation of these goods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventor: Alfred (Fred) Rigo
  • Patent number: 8601952
    Abstract: The linear actuator has a hollow main body having open and closed ends, a cylinder fixed to a closed side in the body and having an open end at open side, a linear motion rod having one end extending from the open end of the body and a wear ring on an outer circumference of the other end and slidably housed in the cylinder, and a hollow shaft rotatably supported in the body, wherein the shaft has magnet on outer circumferential surface, a winding section included on an inner surface of the body and the magnet configure a hollow motor, a nut coaxially fixed to the shaft and a screw on an outer surface of the linear motion rod are engaged with each other to configure a rotation/linear motion converter, and oil seals seal a gap between the shaft and the body in both sides are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignees: Moog Japan Ltd., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Tamai, Osamu Goto
  • Patent number: 8596202
    Abstract: A bogie (1) for a railway vehicle includes a motor (4) having a casing (6) fastened to two beams (2) of the bogie, the motor shaft (12) being arranged parallel to these beams (2), secondary suspensions (14) and a weight-bearing crosspiece (16) resting on the secondary suspensions (14). The bogie (1) includes a set of end supports (24) and stops (26) arranged on the casing (6) of the motor (4) and on the weight-bearing crosspiece (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Transport SA
    Inventors: Alain Rodet, Jeffrey Rollerson
  • Patent number: 8596587
    Abstract: A method for sensing objects within a rail grade crossing island is described. The method includes transmitting a radar signal into the island from each of a plurality of radar devices such that each portion of the island is monitored by at least two of the radar devices, detecting if an object is in the island based on received signals corresponding to the transmissions associated with at least one of the radar devices, and operating a gate control device associated with the rail grade crossing based on the detections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Bystep, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas N. Hilleary
  • Patent number: 8596475
    Abstract: An adapter coupler (1) for adapting couplings of different design, wherein the adapter coupler (1) comprises a first connecting mechanism for releasably connecting the adapter coupler (1) to a first coupling, a second connecting mechanism for releasably connecting the adapter coupler (1) to the drawhook (50) of a second coupling, and a coupler housing (2) for connecting the first connecting mechanism to the second connecting mechanism, and wherein the second connecting mechanism comprises a tension yoke (8) with which to engage with the drawhook (50) of the second coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Siegfried Kobert, Kay Uwe Kolshorn, Dirk Behrens
  • Patent number: 8596200
    Abstract: A wafer transfer system includes a bidirectional wafer carrying pod, an over-head transport (OHT) rail, an OHT, two platforms, and two loading ports respectively connected to the two platforms. The bidirectional wafer carrying pod has a loading housing and two doors respectively and detachably installed on the two opposite sides of the loading housing. The OHT rail has a single rail section and a double rail section. The two ends of the double rail section are connected to the single rail section. The platforms are respectively disposed beside the double rail section. The loading ports are disposed under the double rail section. Through the OHT, The bidirectional wafer carrying pod can selectively be transferred to one rail of the double rail section and disposed on the loading port of the tool corresponding to the one rail of the double rail section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Inotera Memories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jung-Pin Lai, Tsan-I Chen
  • Patent number: 8596434
    Abstract: An electric railway system includes an electric car and an electric-power supply device that supplies electric power to the electric car. The electric-power supply device includes a power source, and an overhead conductor portion connected to the power source. The electric car includes: a power collector installed on a roof of the electric car, having a contact conductor portion contactable to the overhead conductor portion, and being capable of raising and lowering the contact conductor portion based on an instruction from outside; a switching unit connected to the power collector, opening and closing a main circuit; an electric-power conversion device connected to the switching unit, performing an electric power conversion; an electric-power storage device connected to the electric-power conversion device; an electric motor driven by the electric-power conversion device, driving the electric car; and a control unit controlling at least the switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 8590454
    Abstract: A clamp assembly for supporting multiple elongate rails in a rail tie-down car utilizes spring-loaded, hydraulically actuated clamp assemblies to clamp individual rails to the tie-down car. Each clamp assembly incorporates at least two clamp members which act opposite one another to prevent the rail secured in place by the clamps from sliding in either longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Herzog Contracting Corp.
    Inventor: Ivan E. Bounds
  • Patent number: 8590456
    Abstract: A rail system (9) for an overhead hoist system (1) suspended from the rail system (9), and wherein the rail system (9) includes a primary rail (7) which is a four-edged profile with hollow cross-section (17) and a longitudinal slot (18) at the bottom, which the slot (18) and the hollow cross-section (17) are adapted for receiving and supporting part of the suspended hoist system (1), wherein the rail system (1) includes at least one angular secondary rail (19) which on one leg (20) thereof is provided connecting means (21) that interact with connecting means (22) at the side of the primary rail (7), and which on its other leg (23) is provided a support surface (24) for supporting an adjacent ceiling board (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: V. Guldmann A/S
    Inventor: Jan Ipsen
  • Patent number: 8590844
    Abstract: An overlay track circuit is used to transmit information through a block of railroad tracks. In one embodiment, one of a plurality of codes assigned to a receiver/transmitter pair are used to represent each information segment (which may be one or more bits) of an information signal. In another embodiment, bits of the information signal are transmitted between periodic repetitions of a code associated with the transmitter/receiver pair. The modulation may be performed using a frequency shift key technique. Track circuits may be connected to relay information between adjacent blocks of track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Rail Auotmation Corporation
    Inventor: Brian Joseph Hogan
  • Patent number: 8590460
    Abstract: An improved railway car truck is provided that includes two sideframes and a bolster. The bolster has laterally opposite ends, each end extending into and supported within a sideframe opening on a spring group. Each sideframe also has a pedestal opening at each end to receive a bearing adapter assembly. The railway car truck also includes a transom extending into and supported within a sideframe opening. The spring group is supported at each transom end. A lateral damping cylinder is connected between the bolster and the transom. A vertical damping cylinder is connected between the bolster and the sideframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Steven Wike
  • Patent number: 8590459
    Abstract: The bogie of variable rail gauge comprises two lateral carrier mountings (1;2) with two wheels (1?, 1?, 2?, 2?) independent of each others, which lean one against the other, forming between them an articulation (3) allowing a variation of the rail bogie in sliding between the traverses forming part of the two lateral carrier mountings (1;2), entirely, allowing anytime a relative rotation or tipping, respectively, between the traverses (2;3) in the vertical planes of the wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Compagnie du Chemin de fer Montreux-Oberland Bernois SA
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Forclaz, Cedric Giller
  • Patent number: 8590461
    Abstract: Devices to shift the stops (8) of rail vehicle bodies or coaches with bogies on curves and rail vehicle body with bogies. The devices are provided in an interior cavity of the frame of the bogies whose lateral edges each have a separate stop (9, 10) and that houses a lower projecting part (4) of the body. In one embodiment, on the front edge of the interior cavity of the frame (1) of the bogie, there is a pair of joints (11) from each of which a rod (5, 6) leads backwards and each of these is joined to a separate slider (7) by means of joints. The sliders (7) are able to move on guides located on the respective lateral surfaces of the lower projecting part (4) of the body, and the sliders (7) are wedge shaped with a guide located on their surface in the form of an inclined plane. The stops (8) of the body are coupled, at their respective inside surfaces, to the guides located on the respective sliders (7); the stops (8) of the body are joined together by transversal connection means (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Patentes Talgo, S.L.
    Inventor: José Luis López Gómez
  • Patent number: 8590718
    Abstract: A coupling unit for a semi-permanent connection of two wagons of a rail vehicle, which has a first housing and a second housing, which is pivotably and rotatably coupled to the first housing. A bearing outer ring with a hollow spherical inner bearing surface is fastened to the second housing and is guided in sliding fashion on a bearing inner ring with a spherical outer surface. The bearing inner ring is seated with an inner bore on a shaft fastened to the first housing. The shaft has, on a first end, one or two flattened portions and, on a second end, one or two second flattened portions. At least one clamping piece is provided which bears against one of the flattened portions and an opening region in the first housing, thereby preventing the shaft from rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Andreas Krome
  • Patent number: 8590845
    Abstract: A wheel sensor that is particularly suited for track release signaling systems has at least one sensor device having an AC-fed sensor coil of an electric oscillating circuit sensitive to an inductive interaction of the sensor coil with passing wheels of rail vehicles. A further spool is connected to the sensor coil for suppressing external interference fields in a counter circuit. The further coil is arranged underneath the sensor coil and a spacing distance between the further coil and the sensor coil is at least one third of the inside diameter of the sensor coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rainer Freise