Patents by Inventor Gregory P. Reitz

Gregory P. Reitz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8499900
    Abstract: A retarder for controlling the speed of a railcar is provided. The retarder includes a brake and a brake actuator that includes a hydraulic piston-cylinder and a spring. One of the piston and the cylinder acts on the brake and the other of the piston and the cylinder acts on one end of the spring. The other end of the spring acts on the brake. In this arrangement, supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to the piston-cylinder causes both the piston-cylinder and the spring to move the brake towards a closed position in which the brake will apply braking pressure on the wheel of the railcar. The spring resiliently biases the brake into the closed position to maintain a substantially constant braking pressure on the wheel of the railcar as it moves through the retarder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: AAA Sales & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Heyden, Gregory P. Reitz, Kurt J. Penney
  • Patent number: 8485107
    Abstract: A device and system for controlling travel of a railcar along a set of rails is provided. In one example, a railcar stop is coupled to the set of rails and is selectively movable between a first position wherein the railcar is free to travel along the set of rails and a second position wherein the railcar stop engages the treads of the wheels to thereby prevent travel of the railcar in at least one direction along the rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: AAA Sales & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Heyden, Gregory P. Reitz, John A. Hooper, Lowell B. Ziese, Jim Thomas
  • Patent number: 8485105
    Abstract: Devices and systems for stopping travel of a railcar along rails is provided, the railcar having wheel treads that ride on the rails. A railcar stop is configured to engage at least one wheel tread of the railcar to stop travel of the railcar along the rails. The railcar stop extends above the rails at a first height prior to engagement with a wheel tread and extends above the rails at a second, greater height after engagement with the wheel tread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: AAA Sales & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Heyden, Gregory P. Reitz
  • Patent number: 8413770
    Abstract: Systems and methods for retarding the speed of a railcar are provided. A supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid is provided to a piston cylinder to actuate the cylinder and thereby move a brake into a closed position in which the brake will apply a predetermined braking pressure to a wheel of the railcar. An accumulator accumulates fluid from the circuit when the wheel forces the brake out of the closed position and supplies accumulated fluid back to the circuit as the brake moves back into the closed position to thereby maintain a substantially constant braking pressure on the wheel as it moves through the retarder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: AAA Sales & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Heyden, Gregory P. Reitz, Kurt J. Penney
  • Publication number: 20120055368
    Abstract: A device and system for controlling travel of a railcar along a set of rails is provided. In one example, a railcar stop is coupled to the set of rails and is selectively movable between a first position wherein the railcar is free to travel along the set of rails and a second position wherein the railcar stop engages the treads of the wheels to thereby prevent travel of the railcar in at least one direction along the rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: AAA Sales & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Heyden, Gregory P. Reitz, John A. Hooper, Lowell B. Ziese, Jim Thomas
  • Patent number: 8079309
    Abstract: A device and system for controlling travel of a railcar along a set of rails is provided. In one example, a railcar stop is coupled to the set of rails and is selectively movable between a first position wherein the railcar is free to travel along the set of rails and a second position wherein the railcar stop engages the treads of the wheels to thereby prevent travel of the railcar in at least one direction along the rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: AAA Sales & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Heyden, Gregory P. Reitz, John A. Hooper, Lowell B. Ziese, Jim Thomas
  • Publication number: 20110232521
    Abstract: Devices and systems for stopping travel of a railcar along rails is provided, the railcar having wheel treads that ride on the rails. A railcar stop is configured to engage at least one wheel tread of the railcar to stop travel of the railcar along the rails. The railcar stop extends above the rails at a first height prior to engagement with a wheel tread and extends above the rails at a second, greater height after engagement with the wheel tread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: AAA Sales & Engineering , Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Heyden, Gregory P. Reitz
  • Publication number: 20100083865
    Abstract: A device and system for controlling travel of a railcar along a set of rails is provided. In one example, a railcar stop is coupled to the set of rails and is selectively movable between a first position wherein the railcar is free to travel along the set of rails and a second position wherein the railcar stop engages the treads of the wheels to thereby prevent travel of the railcar in at least one direction along the rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: AAA Sales & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Heyden, Gregory P. Reitz, John A. Hooper, Lowell B. Ziese, Jim Thomas