Abstract: A rail car includes an elongated floor supporting a rail car body, a draft sill depending from the floor, and a crash energy management (CEM) system. The CEM system includes a coupler plate coupled to the draft sill and depending from the floor between the draft sill and a first end of the floor, a coupler support depending from the floor between the coupler plate and the first end of the floor, an elongated coupler assembly extending from the coupler plate in a direction of the first end of the floor via an opening defined by the coupler support, and at least one cable connected in tension between the coupler support and the coupler plate.

Abstract: A rail car includes an elongated floor supporting a rail car body, a draft sill depending from the floor, and a crash energy management (CEM) system. The CEM system includes a coupler plate coupled to the draft sill and depending from the floor between the draft sill and a first end of the floor, a coupler support depending from the floor between the coupler plate and the first end of the floor, an elongated coupler assembly extending from the coupler plate in a direction of the first end of the floor via an opening defined by the coupler support, and at least one cable connected in tension between the coupler support and the coupler plate.

Abstract: A railcar includes a chassis, a front end frame, a control cab for a train operator and an energy absorbing crash structure. The chassis has a cab end and a rear end. The front end frame is connected to the cab end of the chassis. The front end frame has a pair of corner posts and a collision post structure. Each one of the pair of corner posts is located at a different corner of the chassis at the cab end. The collision post structure is located between the pair of corner posts. The control cab has a control cab floor and is located proximate the cab end. A crash energy management module, located ahead of the front end frame, includes a plurality of energy absorbers and a crash shield. The plurality of energy absorbers is attached to the front end frame. There is a left energy absorber located on a left portion of the chassis and a right energy absorber located on a right portion of the chassis. The crash shield is attached substantially vertically and laterally to the plurality of energy absorbers.

Abstract: A railcar includes a chassis, a front end frame, a control cab for a train operator and an energy absorbing crash structure. The chassis has a cab end and a rear end. The front end frame is connected to the cab end of the chassis. The front end frame has a pair of corner posts and a collision post structure. Each one of the pair of corner posts is located at a different corner of the chassis at the cab end. The collision post structure is located between the pair of corner posts. The control cab has a control cab floor and is located proximate the cab end. A crash energy management module, located ahead of the front end frame, includes a plurality of energy absorbers and a crash shield. The plurality of energy absorbers is attached to the front end frame. There is a left energy absorber located on a left portion of the chassis and a right energy absorber located on a right portion of the chassis. The crash shield is attached substantially vertically and laterally to the plurality of energy absorbers.

Abstract: A covert device for tracing or tracking the movement of a shipping container has a primary satellite receiver responsive to external satellite signals to obtain positional information, a secondary receiver for obtaining coarse positional information from terrestrial radio signals, and a memory. A processor processes the available positional information to obtain a fix in response to an event and stores the fix in association with the event in memory. The receivers preferably use the shipping container at least in part as an antenna. When the secondary receiver is an FM broadcast antenna, the gap between the doors of the shipping container can serve as a slotted antenna.

Abstract: A change in the configuration of an object is detected by an antenna from at least a portion of the object or providing an antenna closely electrically coupled to said object, receiving remote radio transmissions with a radio receiver using said antenna, and detecting a change in the configuration of said object by monitoring the signal strength of the radio transmissions received from the antenna. The same antenna can also be used to determine the path traced by the object by receiving the remote radio transmissions and comparing them with known spectra.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for tracing a geographical journey taken by an entity, for example an article (shipment), asset or person, on a worldwide map uses a miniature, passive, low power, radio receiver tag that is attached to the entity and collects multiple FM spectra during the travels of the entity. When the tag is retrieved at the end of the journey, the FM spectra are downloaded and compared against a collection of constructed spectra constructed from antenna transmission and location data derived. Correlating each of the spectra collected by the receiver tag with the corresponding spectra in the database allows the regions traversed by the receiver tag, and hence the entity, during its travels to be plotted.

Abstract: A detection system for detecting intruders moving in the vicinity of a defined path comprises a distributed antenna, for example an open transmission line, extending along the path, and an array of discrete antennas extending alongside the distributed antenna and within a predetermined distance therefrom. The discrete antennas and the distributed antenna define a plurality of detection zones. A radio frequency transmitter is connected to each of the discrete antennas, and a complementary receiver in a control unit at a remote location is connected to the distributed antenna. The control unit also controls the transmitters, and the array of antennas to exchange radio frequency energy between the distributed antenna and the discrete antennas and analyzes the energy received from the discrete antennas so as to detect perturbations caused by an intruder moving adjacent said path and adjacent a particular antenna.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for tracing a geographical journey taken by an entity, for example an article (shipment), asset or person, on a worldwide map uses a miniature, passive, low power, radio receiver tag that is attached to the entity and collects multiple FM spectra during the travels of the entity. When the tag is retrieved at the end of the journey, the FM spectra are downloaded and compared against a collection of constructed spectra constructed from antenna transmission and location data derived. Correlating each of the spectra collected by the receiver tag with the corresponding spectra in the database allows the regions traversed by the receiver tag, and hence the entity, during its travels to be plotted.

Abstract: A structure for mounting equipment inside a vehicle. The structure includes at least one structural member defining a platform. The platform is characterized by at least one equipment bay adapted to receive equipment. At least one attachment site is provided on the structural member, where this attachment site is adapted to be resiliently attached to the vehicle such that the platform is suspended inside the vehicle. When the structure is installed inside the vehicle and the vehicle is in motion, the platform is operative to follow the movement of the vehicle while maintaining the equipment mounted thereto in a substantially rigid assembly.

Abstract: A detection system for detecting intruders moving in the vicinity of a defined path comprises a distributed antenna, for example an open transmission line, extending along the path, and an array of discrete antennas extending alongside the distributed antenna and within a predetermined distance therefrom. The discrete antennas and the distributed antenna define a plurality of detection zones. A radio frequency transmitter is connected to each of the discrete antennas, and a complementary receiver in a control unit at a remote location is connected to the distributed antenna. The control unit also controls the transmitters, and the array of antennas to exchange radio frequency energy between the distributed antenna and the discrete antennas and analyzes the energy received from the discrete antennas so as to detect perturbations caused by an intruder moving adjacent said path and adjacent a particular antenna.

Abstract: In a detection system for detecting intruders in the vicinity of a predetermined path or line defined by a distributed antenna, for example an open transmission line, an array of discrete antennas are provided alongside the distributed antenna and within a predetermined distance therefrom. The antennas are spaced apart from each other and the distributed antenna and define a plurality of detection zones. A radio frequency transmitter is connected to one of the distributed antenna and the array of discrete antennas, and a complementary receiver is connected to the other of the distributed antenna and the array of discrete antennas. A control unit controls the transmitter, receiver and array of antennas to exchange radio frequency energy several times via the distributed antenna and selected ones of the array of antennas and to detect perturbations caused by an intruder moving adjacent the path and adjacent a particular antenna.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning lumber pieces for end trimming, by means of a succession of gates mounted on traveling chains set at a converging angle with the even end line of uniformly spaced lumber pieces carried transversely on parallel chains towards a multiple saw trimmer. The positioning is accomplished by any one gate pushing against the end of a lumber piece and then retracting when the lumber piece has reached the appropriate position for cutting by stationary trimming saws. The positioning process and the saw selection for each cut are scanner/computer controlled.

Abstract: An intrusion detection system comprises a plurality of sensors (2A . . . 2X) and a corresponding plurality of receivers (3A. . . 3X). Each receiver receives, via the associated sensor, radio frequency signals comprising a multiplicity of transmissions at different frequencies within a predetermined frequency spectrum. The receiver detects the radio frequency signals and computes, for each of a plurality of successive time intervals and for each of the transmission frequencies, a measurement of signal amplitude over the time interval; compares such signal amplitude measurement with at least one threshold and, if the amplitude exceeds the threshold for a predetermined time period, generates a potential alarm signal. A processor (4) compares potential alarm signals from a plurality of sensors and determines that an intrusion has occurred if the potential alarm signal for a particular station does not coincide with a potential alarm signal for a neighboring sensor.

Abstract: In an intrusion detection system of the kind which comprises a “leaky cable” or open transmission line and is used to determine the presence of objects, things or people moving in the vicinity of the leaky cable, a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna, one of which is an open transmission line/leaky cable, are connected to a transmitter unit and a receiver unit, respectively. A control unit controls both the transmitter unit and the receiver unit, and causes the receiver unit to scan a preselected radio band, with the transmitter unit not transmitting, to detect one or more relatively quiet portions of the band in which instant received signal levels are lower than a predetermined threshold. The control unit selects a plurality of disparate frequencies in such one or more relatively quiet portions and subsequently causes the transmitter unit to transmit signals by way of the transmitting antenna at the disparate frequencies.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a system to provide a steady supply of lumber pieces to a board separating device and insure the correct positioning of each lumber piece, at the proper time, thus allowing the separating device to function at a substantially higher rate than hitherto possible with previously known infeeding arrangements.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring opening of sealed enclosures, especially, but not exclusively, sealed containers containing goods-in-transit, such as goods vehicles, maritime containers or transport containers of the kind carried by tractor-trailers, ships, trains or aeroplanes comprises a radio receiver unit having at least one antenna for reception of radio signals. The receiver unit is housed within the enclosure and operates to scan a predetermined band of radio frequencies, periodically or continuously, and detect a sudden change in signal level. When it detects such a change in radio signal level, the receiver generates an alarm signal. Alternatively, the receiver may detect the difference between internal and external radio signal levels and determine the container to have been opened if the difference is less than a preset threshold.

Abstract: In an intrusion detection system comprising an open transmission line (10), for example a "leaky cable", and a receiver unit (12S,12T,14S,14T,16) for processing a radio frequency signal received by the line to detect perturbations caused by an intruder (28), problems of nonlinear sensitivity due to line attenuation are resolved by combining perturbation signals (R.sub.S, R.sub.T) from both ends of the open transmission line. A processor unit (18) computes logarithmic values of the perturbation signals from the opposite ends of the line and combines them to detect presence of an intruder. The sum of the logarithmic values may be used to determine presence of the intruder and the difference between them may be used to determine the location of the intruder relative to the end of the line. The processor may also use phase information from the two perturbation signals to facilitate detection in the presence of multipath effects. Reference signals (LO,IF.sub.

Abstract: A cable for use as a distributed antenna in intrusion detection systems comprises an internal open transmission line in parallel with a periodically loaded structure which supports an external transmission line mode of operation, specifically a surface wave, and is "driven" by the open transmission line. The periodically loaded structure may comprise transmission line segments for example cylindrical conductor elements intercoupled by serial inductive coupling. There are no fewer than three and no more than fifteen conductor elements in one wavelength (.lambda..sub.S) of the external transmission line modes. Preferably the length of each transmission line segment is about one quarter of the wavelength (.lambda..sub.S) of the external transmission line modes. The inductive coupling may be provided by resistance wires extending alongside the conductor elements.

Abstract: A frequency independent strong signal suppressor comprised of an amplitude dependent voltage standing wave ratio device for receiving and substantially absorbing incident radio frequency signals characterized by amplitudes greater than a predetermined threshold and substantially reflecting signals characterized by amplitudes less than the threshold, such that strong signals are absorbed and thereby suppressed while weak signals are reflected for reception by an external signal processing device.