Abstract: An energy absorption system for a railcar having an elongated sill with front and rear stops defining a pocket therebetween. To facilitate use of known railcar structures, the energy absorption system can be used in combination with a railcar also having a sill with center stops disposed between the front and rear stops. A coupler having a head portion and a shank portion is arranged in operable combination with the energy absorption system. The energy absorption system also includes a first cushioning assembly positioned in the sill pocket. A first follower is urged toward and engageable with the front stops under the influence of the first cushioning assembly and is operably engageable with a free end of the shank portion of the coupler. A second cushioning assembly is positioned in generally axial alignment with first cushioning assembly. A second follower is positioned and normally urged by the energy absorption system toward and configured to engage with the center stops.

Abstract: A railroad freight car coupling system utilizing purely mechanical cushioning assemblies at opposed ends of the car. Each cushioning assembly includes an elongated draft gear assembly including two individually operable and axially spaced assemblies for absorbing both buff and draft forces. Each draft gear assembly includes an axially elongated and hollow metal housing with a first open end and a second open end disposed in longitudinally spaced relation relative to each other. The draft gear assembly is provided with first and second spring biased assemblies at opposed open ends of the housing for absorbing, storing and returning energy directed against a railroad freight car with which the draft gear assembly is arranged in operable combination.

Abstract: A railroad freight car coupling system utilizing purely mechanical cushioning assemblies at opposed ends of the car. Each cushioning assembly includes an elongated draft gear assembly including two individually operable and axially spaced assemblies for absorbing both buff and draft forces. Each draft gear assembly includes an axially elongated and hollow metal housing with a first open end and a second open end disposed in longitudinally spaced relation relative to each other. The draft gear assembly is provided with first and second spring biased assemblies at opposed open ends of the housing for absorbing, storing and returning energy directed against a railroad freight car with which the draft gear assembly is arranged in operable combination.

Abstract: A railroad car coupling system including a draft sill with front and rear stops, a coupler along with an energy management assembly for receiving and dissipating external forces experienced by the coupler. A yoke also forms part of the coupling system and is operably coupled to the coupler. The yoke includes top and bottom walls which each include two forward facing stops. A follower is mounted substantially between the top and bottom walls of the yoke for receiving forces experienced by the coupler. The follower is configured with two laterally spaced vertical extensions disposed toward opposed upper corners of the follower and two laterally spaced vertical extensions disposed toward opposed lower corners of the follower. Forward facing surfaces on the follower extensions arc arranged in generally coplanar relationship relative to each other.

Abstract: A railcar yoke for a railcar energy absorption/coupling system. The yoke includes a rigid and elongated top wall joined to and axially extending from a back wall toward an open forward end of the yoke along with a rigid and elongated bottom wall joined to and axially extending from said back wall toward the open forward end of the yoke. The top and bottom walls of the yoke are separated by a distance whereby allowing an energy management system to be disposed therebetween. Each of the top and bottom walls of the yoke have two forward-facing stops thereon and which extend in opposed lateral directions from each other. The forward-facing stops on the top wall of the yoke are arranged in a generally coplanar relationship with the two forward-facing stops on the bottom wall of the yoke.

Abstract: A railcar energy absorption/coupling system including a cushioning assembly arranged in operable combination with a coupler and a yoke. The cushioning assembly is positioned in a draft pocket defined by a draft sill on a railcar between the front and rear stops. The yoke consists of a back wall along with top and bottom walls which are joined to and axially extending from the back wall toward a forward end of the cushioning assembly. The back wall of the yoke is disposed to contact the rear end of the cushioning assembly. The top and bottom walls of the yoke are operably coupled to a shank portion of the coupler toward a forward end of the yoke. The top and bottom walls of the yoke each include stop members which extend in opposed lateral directions from each other and limit draft travel while maximizing buff travel and limit total combined travel of the energy absorption/coupling system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a distributed inventory management system in which a self-awareness, self-regulating and self-organizing method is used to compile on a real-time basis ad hoc databases from which the locations of a number of geographically distributed inventory units (e.g., pallets, shipping containers, trailers, railroad cards, trucks, and even people) can be reliably tracked. Each inventory unit in a neighborhood of inventory units carries an electronic tag that includes an alterable memory, a transceiver and a microprocessor. The distance from one inventory unit in the neighborhood to another is dependent upon the received signal strength intensity transmitted between and calculated by the respective transceivers of the electronic tags of different inventory units. The alterable memory of each electronic tag stores first and second databases in which are listed and updated over time the nearest and next nearest neighbors to a particular inventory unit.

Abstract: A totally photonic switch having a pair of D-optical fibers by which optical energy can be efficiently coupled at high speed from one D-fiber to the other. The cores of the D-fibers are held in close proximity to one another at opposite sides of a thin (e.g., film) evanescent coupling region that is fabricated from a doped semiconductor based material (e.g., silicon dioxide). A pair of thin metal electrodes are located between the pair of D-fibers and the opposite sides of the evanescent coupling region by which to cause the coupling region to become electrooptic, to bond the fibers to the coupling region, and to receive a controlled voltage from a DC voltage source. Optical energy is coupled (i.e., switched) between the D-fibers depending upon the magnitude of the voltage applied to the electrodes.

Abstract: A totally photonic switch having a pair of D-optical fibers by which optical energy can be efficiently coupled at high speed from one D-fiber to the other. The cores of the D-fibers are held in close proximity to one another at opposite sides of a thin (e.g., film) evanescent coupling region that is fabricated from a doped semiconductor based material (e.g., silicon dioxide). A pair of thin metal electrodes are located between the pair of D-fibers and the opposite sides of the evanescent coupling region by which to cause the coupling region to become electrooptic, to bond the fibers to the coupling region, and to receive a controlled voltage from a DC voltage source. Optical energy is coupled (i.e., switched) between the D-fibers depending upon the magnitude of the voltage applied to the electrodes.

Abstract: A method and, in one embodiment of the invention, the resulting apparatus for implementing a unique multiple beam fringe sensor that is adapted to be interfaced with a low cost, compact fiber optic transmission system in order to provide an accurate digital representation of a physical parameter (e.g. temperature) of a remote sample. The sensor is fabricated so as to include a Fabry-Perot gap formed between the ends of two mated optical fibers. By examining the optical characteristics of light that is transmitted through the Fabry-Perot sensor gap, an indication of gap width can be ascertained. Accordingly, a change in Fabry-Perot sensor gap width is related to a change in the particular physical parameter to be measured.In another embodiment of the invention, a second unique multiple beam fringe sensor having a Fabry-Perot gap is disclosed that is also adapted to provide an accurate digital representation of a physical parameter (e.g. temperature) of a remote sample.

Abstract: A method of fabrication and the resulting structure for a birefringent transmission line having particular application as an optical waveguide. The instant transmission line is fabricated so as to be adapted to maintain the state (e.g. the polarization vector) of polarized electromagnetic radiation propagating therethrough. Birefringence in the instant transmission line is geometrically generated by producing oblong regions having different indices of refraction through a cross-section of the transmission line. A preferred technique by which to generate birefringence includes the method step of bombarding the transmission line with a supply of atomic particules, such as energetic hydrogen ions, whereby to implant a damaged region of oblong cross-section and thereby cause an internal swelling therein. By way of a preferred example, the transmission line herein described may be a single-mode optical fiber.

Abstract: This invention relates to a lightweight and compact optical sensor that provides an indication of a deformation (e.g. fatigue, vibration, flex, torsion, bending, slippage) occurring at a monitored area. The sensor includes at least one light transmitting optical fiber and an optical detector that is responsive to the optical characteristics (e.g. amplitude, phase, polarization angle) of a supply of light signals being transmitted through the fiber. In the event that deformation occurs at the monitored region, the optical fiber undergoes a displacement which thereby causes a corresponding change in the optical characteristics of the light signals supplied to the detector. The optical characteristics of the light signals supplied to the detector relative to those of the light signals supplied to the optical fiber provide an accurate indication of the physical parameter.

Abstract: A method and resulting apparatus for implementing a unique optical sensor that is adapted to be interfaced with a low cost, compact fiber-optic transmission system to provide an accurate indication of a sensed physical parameter (e.g. temperature) of a remote sample. The sensor is fabricated so as to include a semiconductor material that has optical-wavelength-dependent filter characteristics that may be varied as a function of a physical parameter such as temperature.In one embodiment, a graded optical filter fabricated by using thin-film deposition techniques on an amorphous semiconductor material, provides position responsive high-pass filter characteristics. Such filter characteristics are then utilized by moving a light source as a function of a physical parameter and generating an optical signal therefrom having a cutoff frequency dependent upon the position of the light source.

Abstract: A method of fabrication and the resulting structure for a birefringent transmission line having particular application as an optical waveguide. The instant transmission line is fabricated so as to be adapted to maintain the state (e.g. the polarization vector) of polarized electromagnetic radiation propagating therethrough. Birefringence in the instant transmission line is geometrically generated by producing oblong regions having different indices of refraction through a cross-section of the transmission line. A preferred technique by which to generate birefringence includes the method step of bombarding the transmission line with a supply of atomic particules, such as energetic hydrogen ions, whereby to implant a damaged region of oblong cross-section and thereby cause an internal swelling therein. By way of a preferred example, the transmission line herein described may be a single-mode optical fiber.

Abstract: A method and resulting apparatus for implementing a unique optical sensor that is adapted to be interfaced with a low cost, compact fiber-optic transmission system to provide an accurate indication of a sensed physical parameter (e.g. temperature) of a remote sample. The sensor is fabricated so as to include a semiconductor material that has optical-wavelength-dependent filter characteristics that may be varied as a function of a physical parameter such as temperature. In one embodiment, a graded optical filter fabricated by using thin-film deposition techniques on an amorphous semiconductor material, provides position responsive high-pass filter characteristics. Such filter characteristics are then utilized by moving a light source as a function of a physical parameter and generating an optical signal therefrom having a cutoff frequency dependent upon the position of the light source.

Abstract: A method and the resulting apparatus for implementing a unique multiple beam fringe sensor that is adapted to be interfaced with a low cost, compact fiber optic transmission system in order to provide an accurate digital representation of a physical parameter (e.g. temperature) of a remote sample. The sensor is fabricated so as to include a Fabry-Perot gap formed between the ends of two mated optical fibers. By examining the optical characteristics of light that is transmitted through the Fabry-Perot sensor gap, an indication of gap width can be ascertained. Accordingly, a change in Fabry-Perot sensor gap width is related to a change in the particular physical parameter to be measured.

Abstract: An inexpensive, non-obtrusive optical flowmeter is disclosed comprising at least one flexible, light transmitting optical fiber rod having an enlarged (e.g. spherical) terminus formed at a fluid responsive end thereof. The flexible optical fiber is inserted into a fluid channel in such a manner that the enlarged terminus oscillates at a frequency that is a function of the rate of fluid flow. The intensity and frequency of an optical signal being transmitted via the optical fiber to an optical detector are related to the rate at which fluid flows through the channel. By detecting the intensity and frequency of the optical signal at different times for corresponding rates of fluid flow, an accurate (digital) representation of a particular rate of fluid flow can be obtained.