Patents by Inventor Joseph Halford

Joseph Halford 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: 8925466
    Abstract: A brake beam assembly for a railway car truck includes a brake beam mounted between opposed side frames of the railway car truck with opposite right hand and left hand ends. A strut is coupled to the brake beam and has opposite right hand and left hand ends coupled to the brake beam. Brake heads are coupled to the brake beam and struts proximate to the right hand and left hand ends thereof. Each brake head holds a brake shoe configured to engage a wheel of the railway car truck. Paddles extend from the brake heads. The paddles have distal ends configured to be received in wear liners in corresponding side frames of the railway car truck. A separation distance between the distal ends of the paddles is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Reese, Brad Myers, Joseph Halford
  • Patent number: 8910808
    Abstract: An improved coupler-knuckle assembly is comprised of a coupler body, a knuckle, and at least two knuckle retainer plugs. The knuckle has an internal coring geometry that increases the cross-sectional area of the throat portion of the knuckle compared to previous designs. The present invention's knuckle design includes a top and a bottom tapered holes in the knuckle with a locking groove at the bottom of each tapered hole for the knuckle retainer plugs to snap into. The knuckle retainer plugs are inserted through the coupler body and into the tapered holes in the knuckle. The improved coupler-knuckle assembly of the present invention reduces fatigue on the coupler, knuckle, and knuckle pin, prevents misalignment of the coupler-knuckle assembly, and prevents knuckle pin breakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Amstead Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Halford, Matthew Todt, Timothy Dumey
  • Publication number: 20140174318
    Abstract: A brake beam assembly for a railway car truck includes a brake beam mounted between opposed side frames of the railway car truck with opposite right hand and left hand ends. A strut is coupled to the brake beam and has opposite right hand and left hand ends coupled to the brake beam. Brake heads are coupled to the brake beam and struts proximate to the right hand and left hand ends thereof. Each brake head holds a brake shoe configured to engage a wheel of the railway car truck. Paddles extend from the brake heads. The paddles have distal ends configured to be received in wear liners in corresponding side frames of the railway car truck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Reese, Brad Myers, Joseph Halford
  • Publication number: 20140116976
    Abstract: An improved coupler-knuckle assembly is comprised of a coupler body, a knuckle, and at least two knuckle retainer plugs. The knuckle has an internal coring geometry that increases the cross-sectional area of the throat portion of the knuckle compared to previous designs. The present invention's knuckle design includes a top and a bottom tapered holes in the knuckle with a locking groove at the bottom of each tapered hole for the knuckle retainer plugs to snap into. The knuckle retainer plugs are inserted through the coupler body and into the tapered holes in the knuckle. The improved coupler-knuckle assembly of the present invention reduces fatigue on the coupler, knuckle, and knuckle pin, prevents misalignment of the coupler-knuckle assembly, and prevents knuckle pin breakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Halford, Matthew Todt, Timothy Dumey
  • Patent number: 8474578
    Abstract: A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly of a railway car truck includes a base wall having an inner surface and an outer surface extending between opposite side edges, and having a base wall thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface thereof. The brake beam wear liner also includes sidewalls extending from the opposite side edges. The sidewalls have inner surfaces and outer surfaces, and have a sidewall thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface thereof. The inner surfaces of the sidewalls and the inner surface of the base wall define an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly. The brake beam wear liner also includes flanges extending outward from the sidewalls. The flanges have inner surfaces and outer surfaces, and have a flange thickness between the inner surfaces and the outer surfaces thereof. The base wall thickness is greater than the sidewall thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Halford, Stephen Becker, Jay Monaco
  • Patent number: 8256585
    Abstract: A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly includes a base wall extending between a rear end and front end. The base wall has opposite side edges. The base wall has a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end with the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end. The brake beam wear liner also includes side walls extending from the opposite side edges and flanges extending outward from the side walls generally opposite the base wall. The side walls and the base wall define an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Halford, Doug Compton, Nathan Reese, Jay Monaco
  • Publication number: 20120037033
    Abstract: A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly includes a base wall extending between a rear end and front end. The base wall has opposite side edges. The base wall has a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end with the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end. The brake beam wear liner also includes side walls extending from the opposite side edges and flanges extending outward from the side walls generally opposite the base wall. The side walls and the base wall define an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Halford, Doug Compton, Nathan Reese, Jay Monaco
  • Publication number: 20120037032
    Abstract: A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly of a railway car truck includes a base wall having an inner surface and an outer surface extending between opposite side edges, and having a base wall thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface thereof. The brake beam wear liner also includes sidewalls extending from the opposite side edges. The sidewalls have inner surfaces and outer surfaces, and have a sidewall thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface thereof. The inner surfaces of the sidewalls and the inner surface of the base wall define an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly. The brake beam wear liner also includes flanges extending outward from the sidewalls. The flanges have inner surfaces and outer surfaces, and have a flange thickness between the inner surfaces and the outer surfaces thereof. The base wall thickness is greater than the sidewall thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Halford, Stephen W. Becker, Jay Monaco