Lateral Shifter Patents (Class 105/433)
  • Patent number: 6733635
    Abstract: A coke oven buckstay moving device and method which can be used to quickly, reliably, and smoothly repair buckstays compared to conventional methods and devices. The coke oven buckstay moving means includes a main car, a subcar, a frame, and securing means. The main car is used when repairing pillered buckstays that support oven walls of the coke oven, and moves on a coke side platform or a machine side platform. The subcar is placed on the main car, and can freely move forward and backward in a direction of a lengthwise direction of the coke oven. The frame is provided in a standing manner on the subcar. The securing members are mounted to the frame and are used to grasp and secure the buckstays. According to the method, a damaged portion of the buckstay is secured to the subcar, cut, and then removed. Reversing the steps, a replacement buckstay is secured to the subcar, moved into position, and welded into place. The subcar is detached, and the oven repaired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ozawa, Nozomu Tamura, Tetsuro Uchida, Nobuya Kamide
  • Patent number: 6341563
    Abstract: A platform sensing and control system including a wireless sensor (10, 12) for sensing at least the presence of a platform (26) opposite a door (32) of a railcar and providing an output indication of at least a platform presence in response thereto, and a door control controller (14) operative in response to the output indication of at least platform (26) presence for enduring that normally a door (32) is not opened other than when a platform (26) is located opposite such door (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Sensotech Ltd.
    Inventors: Eli Gal, Uri Agam, Eli Ben-Bassat, Ronen Jashek
  • Patent number: 6286435
    Abstract: A rail vehicle for transporting a long load over a railway route can have a depressed portion of the car body and a lift and shift apparatus mounted in the depressed portion which can vertically and horizontally adjust the long load on the rail vehicle. Generally, two such vehicles can be employed to support portions of the long load. The lift and shift apparatus can have a lifter/shifter mechanism provided in the depressed portion and can have hydraulic cylinders connected between the car body and the lifter/shifter for vertically adjusting the long load. An adapter receiver can be provided adjacent and slideable relative to the lifter/shifter. A saddle adapter can be provided adjacent to the adapter receiver. The saddle adapter can be rotatable relative to the adapter receiver. A saddle can be provided intermediate the saddle adapter and the long load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Kasgro Rail Corp.
    Inventors: Gabe M. Kassab, Jon Odden
  • Patent number: 4759682
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an extendible and retractable ramp device for a vehicle particularly concerned with the loading and unloading of handicapped person and which device particularly includes a power actuating mechanism disposed within the vehicle in such a way as to protect the mechanism from damage, provide a ramp structure conducive to non-interferring ingress and egress by handicapped passengers and to incorporate a disconnect device which permits the ramp to be extended or retracted manually in the event power actuating mechanism becomes inoperative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1988
    Assignee: Transpec Inc.
    Inventor: Delos W. Hood
  • Patent number: 4273498
    Abstract: A railway car includes conventional steps leading from a lower station platform to the floor level in a vestibule. A lift platform adapted to receive a seat or wheel chair is provided to lift a handicapped person who has difficulty going up or down steps. A motor is provided for moving the lift platform over the steps between the lower level and floor level while maintaining it in a horizontal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1981
    Assignee: The Budd Company
    Inventors: William W. Dickhart, III, Richard H. Marvin
  • Patent number: 4131209
    Abstract: A motor bus has a side door at its forward end which when opened accommodates laterally outward extension of a ramp from a normally stowed position below the floor of the bus, a portion of the ramp adjacent its outer end serving as a step for entering the bus when the ramp is in its stowed position. Extending longitudinally of the ramp and journalled therein at its outward end is a lead screw which is rotatively driven by a rotary power motor mounted to the inner end of the ramp. A nut threadedly engaging the screw is hingedly mounted to the lower end of a step riser which is hinged at its upper end to the bus floor so as to swing up to a position co-planar with the ramp when the ramp is fully extended. A bell crank having an arm underlying the ramp is actuatable by a fluid motor to swing the inner end of the ramp and lower end of the riser upwardly to their co-planar relation when the motor comes into abutment with the nut during outward extending movement of the ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1978
    Inventor: Donald L. Manning
  • Patent number: 4058228
    Abstract: A combination access stairstep and elevator means for use in a passenger vehicle entryway. In its retracted normal position a passenger elevator platform member projects freely into the entryway part of its width below passenger deck level to serve as an access step for passengers who can ascend and descend on foot. Such platform member is mounted as part of a dual-arm parallelogram linkage mechanism on a guided, horizontally reciprocative carriage, the various parts of which in normal position are compactly stowed at a common level out of the entryway passage beneath the passenger deck. In order to accommodate disabled persons, the platform member may be fully extended outward in the entryway for use in elevating crippled persons and passengers in wheelchairs between deck level and curb or ground level. Grab rails with rail posts mounted on the normally projecting portion of the platform member can serve as a steadying aid to passengers in all positions of the platform member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1977
    Inventor: Edward L. Hall