Patents by Inventor William E. Schmitz

William E. Schmitz 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: 5713541
    Abstract: An electric power vehicle includes a propulsion system connected to a direct current (DC) source via a supply line. The propulsion system converts the DC supplied via the supply line to an AC electrical power to operate an AC motor at a desired level. An electromagnetic interference detection system for the vehicle includes an EMI processor connected to a current transducer and the propulsion system. The transducer detects AC signals appearing on the supply line and provides an output to the EMI processor. The EMI processor determines the frequency, amplitude and duration of the detected AC signals and causes the propulsion system to adjust the AC electrical power supplied to the motor as a function thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation (North America) Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Schmitz, Pierre A. Zuber, William M. Truman, Fred J. Dimasi, Richard P. Ames
  • Patent number: 5116262
    Abstract: An arrangement for mounting high voltage electrical devices. A generally planar member made of electrically insulating material is provided with a uniform grid of recesses. Mounting plugs are selectively insertable into desired ones of the recesses of the member. Each mounting plug includes an insulating body which is configured to be removably fixed in a desired one of the recesses of the member. A conductive pin extends through the insulating body and presents a mounting terminal on each side of the member when the plug is inserted into one of the recesses. Each mounting terminal on at least one side of the member is configured for affixing thereto both an electrical lead and a mounting device for an electrical component to be attached to the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: AEG Westinghouse Transportation Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred S. Marton, William R. Segar, William E. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4952856
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for monitoring the temperature of a resistor in a resistive current controller. The heating and cooling rates for the resistor are determined and a predicted temperature of the resistor is automatically calculated at the beginning each time interval of consecutive time intervals by subtracting from the previous temperature prediction for the resistor the product of the cooling rate of the resistor and the time interval and adding the product of the heating rate of the resistor and the time interval. An actuating signal is produced when the predicted temperature of the resistor for a given time interval corresponds to a threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: AEG Westinghouse Transportation Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4774669
    Abstract: A train control and monitoring system detects operating errors in controlled devices in each car and disables a car propulsion system if an error is detected. Operator reset is employed to reactivate a car, but operator reset control is disabled if a limit error count is reached and in that event only a supervisor reset can reactivate the car. When a car performs with good behavior through a power/brake cycle, the error count is decremented by one count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: William E. Schmitz, Fred J. Dimasi
  • Patent number: 4697124
    Abstract: An integral series parallel changeover and power dynamic brake controller apparatus for a transit vehicle disclosed. The controller utilizes a single cam shaft to operate switches for the series parallel function and the power brake function. The apparatus includes a cam shaft return spring which is latched out during normal operation. Upon a power failure the spring is released. An escapement mechanism is provided to slow the rotation of the cam shaft upon the spring being released to provide for desirable sequential operation of the power circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4623828
    Abstract: A control apparatus and method are disclosed for controlling the output torque of a multiple phase stepper motor, by turning OFF the normally excited phases for predetermined periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1986
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4511832
    Abstract: A door movement control apparatus and method are provided for opening and closing door apparatus with a stepper motor supplied control pulses in response to a command signal indicating the desired movement direction. A table of time delays for the respective control pulses and resulting motor steps provides a desired speed pattern for the door movement. A comparison of the number of motor steps taken with the number of control pulses provided is made to determine when a closing door is obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4458185
    Abstract: A cam controller for determining the operation of an electric motor is coupled with a stepping motor to provide predetermined positional movements of the cam controller in response to a desired electric motor operation control signal and in accordance with a programmed microprocessor determined comparison of the actual electric motor current with a requested current related to the desired operation control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Matty, Dennis E. Whalen, William E. Schmitz, Pamela E. DeTine
  • Patent number: 4204478
    Abstract: A rubber tired transportation vehicle for use in a mass transit system is provided with a disc member positioned adjacent to at least one vehicle support pneumatic tire operative with a condition sensing apparatus to detect the occurrence of a flat tire condition and to limit the vehicle axle drop in the event of a resulting loss of desired vehicle support because of that flat tire condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1980
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4142326
    Abstract: There is disclosed a motion control and locking apparatus for the passenger entry and exit doors of a mass transit vehicle, which passenger entry and exit doors are desired to be locked when the vehicle is moving between stations and are desired to be unlocked only when the vehicle has stopped at the desired location for passenger entry and exit within a station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1979
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4089272
    Abstract: A transportation vehicle for use in a mass transit system is provided with a laterally sprung guidance apparatus operative with a vehicle restraining guide beam included with the vehicle roadway, for restraining the removal of the vehicle in relation to that roadway while providing a desired improvement in the lateral ride quality of that vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1978
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Schmitz