Switches Patents (Class 191/38)
  • Patent number: 8561771
    Abstract: A moveable catenary system for carrying a container using an electric container freight train includes: a main rail track disposed beside a freight platform; a plurality of catenary masts disposed beside the main rail track; fixed support units fixedly coupled in a cantilever shape to the catenary masts, respectively, with the exception of the catenary masts corresponding to the freight platform; vertical driving support units coupled in the cantilever shape to the catenary masts corresponding to the freight platform so as to vertically rotate the catenary masts, respectively; a fixed catenary coupled to the fixed support units such that positions at which the vertical driving support units are disposed are cut and the vertical driving support units are disposed inside and along the main rail track; a moveable catenary connected to the vertical driving support unit, the movable catenary being circularly moved in a vertical direction according to the vertical rotation of the vertical driving support units; and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventor: YeonWon Kim
  • Publication number: 20130192944
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that connects to an overhead power structure for powering and guiding the vehicle. The overhead power structure includes a trolley, a track along which the trolley runs, a power source connected to the track, and a cable connected to the trolley and configured to attach to the vehicle moving on a surface. The vehicle includes a chassis and a cable connected to the chassis and configured to mechanically and electrically connect the vehicle to the overhead power structure. The chassis includes a connector rotatable 360 degrees, and the cable connects to the chassis through the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: JOY MM DELAWARE, INC.
    Inventor: Joy MM Delaware, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20120273316
    Abstract: A moveable catenary system for carrying a container using an electric container freight train includes: a main rail track disposed beside a freight platform; a plurality of catenary masts disposed beside the main rail track; fixed support units fixedly coupled in a cantilever shape to the catenary masts, respectively, with the exception of the catenary masts corresponding to the freight platform; vertical driving support units coupled in the cantilever shape to the catenary masts corresponding to the freight platform so as to vertically rotate the catenary masts, respectively; a fixed catenary coupled to the fixed support units such that positions at which the vertical driving support units are disposed are cut and the vertical driving support units are disposed inside and along the main rail track; a moveable catenary connected to the vertical driving support unit, the movable catenary being circularly moved in a vertical direction according to the vertical rotation of the vertical driving support units; and
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventor: YeonWon Kim
  • Patent number: 6025702
    Abstract: A signal processing unit for a controller of a trolley pole switch is disclosed. The trolley pole switch switches the path of travel that an energy collector takes through the switch at a junction of catenaries at which a turn catenary and a straight catenary diverge from the straight catenary. The signal processing unit includes an input stage, a detection stage, turn and straight signal demodulation stages and an output stage. The input stage conditions modulated signals, each of which indicating a request to switch the path of travel through the trolley pole switch to the desired catenary diverging therefrom. The detection stage generates a validation signal if the conditioned modulated signal falls within a predetermined band. If the turn demodulation stage receives a conditioned modulated turn signal from the input stage and the validation signal from the detection stage simultaneously, it generates a low logic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: Francis A. Launier, John H. Corvin, Charles C. Siegling, III
  • Patent number: 5740025
    Abstract: An electronic controller for controlling a trolley pole switch is disclosed. The trolley pole switch switches the path of travel that an energy collector of a trolley pole takes through the trolley pole switch at a junction of power conduits diverging from the trolley pole switch. The electronic trolley pole switch controller includes a signal processing device and a power controlling device employed in tandem to control the frog solenoids of a trolley pole switch. The signal processing device detects and processes a plurality of modulated signals. Each modulated signal represents a request to switch the path of travel that the energy collector takes through the trolley pole switch to a desired one of the power conduits diverging therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: Charles C. Siegling, III, Francis A. Launier, John H. Corvin
  • Patent number: 5691888
    Abstract: A power controlling unit for use with a radio board of a trolley pole switch controller is disclosed. The trolley pole switch has at least one frog for switching the path of travel that an energy collector takes through a junction of catenaries. The power controlling unit includes three reduction stages, a chopper control stage, and two output stages. A first reduction stage reduces power received from one catenary to an initial power level. The chopper control stage outputs two pairs of alternating signals. Controlled by a first pair of alternating signals, a second reduction stage reduces the initial power level to a secondary power level to operate the radio board. As long as it receives the initial power level, the third reduction stage reduces the secondary power level to a primary power level to operate the power controlling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: John H. Corvin, Charles C. Siegling, III, Francis A. Launier
  • Patent number: 5390772
    Abstract: A high speed frog including a ductile iron main pan casting having an integral straight approach runner, an integral straight exit runner, and an integral exit turnout runner, a movable runner having a pair of guide rails, an electric solenoid for rotating the movable runner so that one of said pair of guide rails is cooperatively associated with the stationary runner, diverts a sliding contact shoe to the turn-out runner, a mechanical deflector engageable for resetting the movable runner so that the other of the pair of guide rails engages the integral straight approach runner, and a renewable runner insert disposed between integral straight approach runner and the respective guide rails of the movable runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Co.
    Inventors: Cuong M. Ta, Randel C. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5297661
    Abstract: A trolley-type power supply means and a turntable switch for moving apparatuses such as mining equipment. The switch is provided with two coupling portions installed in parallel with each other and reversely symmetrical with respect to a turning axis. By using coupling portions, a trolley can be turned in a desired direction or shunted from the trolley track to allow another trolley to pass by.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Tamrock Oy
    Inventor: Aleksei Tschurbanoff
  • Patent number: 5161758
    Abstract: A connecting system for trolley rails at a shunt where tracks for a transport vehicle such as a magnetic levitation type linear motor car are turned off. A first trolley rail is supported on a stationary track girder and a second troley rail is supported on a movable track girder. A movable track girder can be moved from a position where one end thereof is aligned to a first stationary track girder to a position where the end thereof is aligned to a second stationary track girder. A third trolley rail is movably supported in a longitudinal direction thereof on a supporting member which is rotatably supported at one end thereof to a base portion of one end of the first trolley rail. A first slant surface is formed on each of end portions of the first and second trolley rails at an acute angle. Both end portions of the third trolley rail are formed with slant surfaces inclined at obtuse angles with the top peripheral edge of the third trolley rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: HSST Corporation
    Inventor: Masamoto Shuto
  • Patent number: 4766269
    Abstract: A fused trolley line insulation switch for use in underground mine haulage systems. When opened, the switch allows isolation of down stream feeder cables and trolley line wire. When closed, the switch provides short circuit protection to the system by a fuse on the switch. The fuse is located on the blade member interconnecting the upstream system portion and the downstream system portion thereby allowing quick and safe replacement of the fuse after the occurence of a ground fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Inventor: Meryl M. Hall, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4532385
    Abstract: A transporting device having an overhead track arrangement with straight sections, curved sections, crossing sections and switching sections. A track carriage is movably mounted on the track. A wheeled transport carriage unit moves over a floor surface and is releasably coupled to the track carriage. Structure is provided for effecting a desired movement of the track carriage through switching sections and crossing sections. The transport carriage unit has the drive mechanism thereon and essentially pushes and follows the guide offered by the cooperating track and track carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1985
    Assignee: Eduard Angele
    Inventor: Wolf Friske
  • Patent number: 4453051
    Abstract: A moving vehicle power distribution apparatus includes power signal and ground signal rails provided along a roadway track including a track switch. As the track switch is moved to pass the vehicle to selected roadway tracks, the signal and power rails can become misaligned and damage current collectors carried by the vehicle that travel along these rails. Coupling members having interdigitated members extend between the rail sections to control the movement of the current collectors as the vehicle travels through the track switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Jerry L. Brown
  • Patent number: 4393786
    Abstract: A track crossing for a carriage of a two track suspension railroad arranged in a box girder has, on both sides of a slot provided in the lower flange of the box girder, running surfaces for support wheels, and at the sidewalls of the box girder, current rails and parallel guide surfaces for lateral guide rollers. For bridging and unused track two slewable support members with lateral guide surfaces and, optionally, running surfaces for the support wheels are provided. Current rails are arranged on at least one of the support members. The support members can be swung into depressions of the fixed sidewalls of the box girder of the one or the other track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1983
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans J. Dull, Adolf Hillmer
  • Patent number: 4354434
    Abstract: A track construction for a self-propelled vehicle includes a pair of longitudinally extending track members connected in transversely spaced relation by arch-shaped yokes which extend upwardly over the track members and from which a conductor rail is suspended in vertically spaced centered relation with the track members, the conductor rail being engageable by collectors on the vehicle for powering a vehicle drive motor. At a junction between main and branch line track members and conductor rails, co-axially pivoted, independently movable, track and conductor rail switch tongues are mounted and are interconnected by a differential motion transmitting mechanism which causes one of the switch tongues to move between main and branch positions in response to a different extent of movement of the other switch tongue between such positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Jervis B. Webb Company
    Inventor: Clarence A. Dehne
  • Patent number: 4020300
    Abstract: A sectionalized crane collector system is provided for electrical power rail systems for overhead cranes and the like made up of a pair of aligned conductor rails spaced apart longitudinally to form an air gap and having upper surfaces for engagement by a current conductor movable along them, a bridging rail member of the same shape as the air gap and adapted to fit in the air gap flush with the top of the conductor rails, a conductor apparatus fixed to and parallel to the bridging rail and in electrical contact therewith, the conductor apparatus being longer than the air gap, resilient conductor apparatus on each aligned conductor rail adjacent the air gap releasably engaging the ends of the parallel conductor member, vertically movable carrier apparatus adjacent said air gap carrying the parallel conductor means between a first position engaging the resilient conductor apparatus in which the bridging rail member fills the air gap flush with the top of the aligned rails and a second position in which the par
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1977
    Assignee: Hanco, Inc.
    Inventor: Harry A. Nassif