Abstract: The current invention is intended to be installed in revenue service railroad tracks to detect railroad cars exhibiting wheel set lateral instability. The invention utilizes an array of inductive proximity sensors mounted at regular intervals in a section of railroad track. Each proximity sensor is oriented to sense the lateral position of railroad car wheel sets. The invention employs a computer algorithm to extrapolate the trajectory from the set of proximity sensor signals for each wheel set. A second algorithm evaluates the shape of the trajectory to detect oscillating lateral motion of the wheel set. A third algorithm assesses the severity of any wheel set lateral oscillations that are detected. An additional function of the invention is to detect railroad car trucks that exhibit “tracking errors”.

Abstract: In trains a dragging air hose can snag an object on the tracks and break. A broken air hose can lead to an emergency stop or an accident caused by faulty brakes. The present invention mounts a video camera opposite a lit screen, thereby contrasting the air hose profile against a white screen in all weather and lighting conditions. Machine vision algorithms locate the air hose in a captured image from a moving train, and compute its lowest point. An alarm condition is sent to a remote location. An optional car gap detector is laser based. It helps align the car gap with the data capture for the camera. Another subsystem can include a car coupler height detection algorithm.

Abstract: A device for dragging a killed animal when hunting. The device has a cylindrical handle and a metal hook. The hook is detachable from the handle. When in use, the hook is inserted through a hole drilled through the midpoint of the handle and then secured with a wingnut or similar device. When not in use, the hook is inserted into two other holes drilled in the handle. These holes secure the hook to the handle and protect the user from the sharp tip of the hook. The dimensions of the device allow the user to keep it in a pocket when it is not being used.