Rail-base Or Flange Attached Patents (Class 238/14.14)
  • Patent number: 9505419
    Abstract: A signal bond plate system for electrically bonding onto a railroad rail comprising: first and second conductive plates, first and second wires; and first and second conductive washers; a boltlike attachment means attaching, in order, the first conductive plate, the first conductive washer, a web of the rail, the second conductive washer, and the second conductive plate; the conductive plates each having an inside surface proximal to the web of the rail and an outside surface distal to the web of the rail; each wire having a wire first end and a wire second end; each conductive plate having a conductive plate first end and a conductive plate second end; the first wire first end is attached to the first conductive plate near the first conductive plate first end at a first attachment point; the first wire second end attached to the rail; the second wire first end attached to the second conductive plate first end at a second attachment point; the second end of the second wire attached to the rail; the first cove
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: L.B. Foster Company
    Inventor: Korhan Ciloglu
  • Patent number: 8851395
    Abstract: Method for applying an electrical contact to a hole (2) of a metal wall portion (1), comprising the steps of providing a bush (12), a punch (11) with a shaft (16), an expansion portion (19) and a connecting portion (20) thereof, a pulling device (21) with an abutment portion (22) and a pulling mechanism (23) for engaging the punch (11) and to pulling it proximally with respect to the abutment portion (22), inserting the punch (11) in a passage hole (25) of the bush (12) so that the connecting portion (20) protrudes proximally from the bush and the expansion portion (19) is located on end (14), bush connecting the punch (11) to the pulling device (21), inserting the preassembled bush (12)-punch (11)-unit from a proximal side of the wall portion (1) distally in the hole (2) and activating the pulling device (21) to pull the punch (11) proximally through the bush, thereby radially expanding bush and permanently anchoring it in the hole (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Cembre Ltd.
    Inventors: Kevin Ernest Woolley, Benjamin Ryan Mullaley
  • Patent number: 8678297
    Abstract: A clamp comprising a first end including a base and a hooked portion and a second end moveably connected to the base of the first end. The second end includes a clamped portion and a wire jaw maintaining a wire. The wire jaw is shaped so as to be placed in the second end. The wire jaw including a base and arms extending from the base. The arms defining an opening including teeth, the teeth effective to grip and provide high contact pressure on a rail. A spring is disposed on the base of the first end and is effective to bias the second end toward the hooked portion of the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventors: John Schatz, Walter W. Weiss
  • Patent number: 8235307
    Abstract: A clamp comprising a first end including a base and a hooked portion and a second end moveably connected to the base of the first end. The second end includes a clamped portion and a wire jaw maintaining a wire. The wire jaw is shaped so as to be placed in the second end. The wire jaw including a base and arms extending from the base. The arms defining an opening including teeth, the teeth effective to grip and provide high contact pressure on a rail. A spring is disposed on the base of the first end and is effective to bias the second end toward the hooked portion of the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Twinco Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: John Schatz, Walter Weiss
  • Patent number: 8157186
    Abstract: A system and method for non-invasively attaching components to railroad track rails. More specifically, a connector is provided that can quickly and effectively electrically connect one or more signal lines with a surface of the track rail. In one embodiment, the non-invasive connector utilizes a spring clamp to form an electrical connection with a flange portion of the track rail. First and second opposing members of the spring clamp include teeth that mar the surface of the flange to form an electrical connection between the track rail and the spring clamp when the flange is forced between these opposing members. A signal line is electrically connected to the spring clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fastrax Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Reichle, Gary E. Choate
  • Patent number: 7530502
    Abstract: A clamp for securing a transducer to a train rail comprises a bracket having a base which engages the foot of the rail. An upright arm at one end of the base extends adjacent the web of the rail and carries a threaded adjuster which engages the transducer and urges it into contact with the rail. The clamp is sufficiently resilient so that, when the adjuster is tightened to a predetermined extent, both temporary and permanent de formation of the rail can be accommodated without difficulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Armscor Business (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventors: Brian Sherriff, Francois Alvyn Burger
  • Publication number: 20080191048
    Abstract: Provided is a model train, which can be disassembled, when not used, into the size of one layout element but can be extended, when used, to a size according to a space. In the model train, rail elements including straight, curved and terminal ones are laid on layout bases to form layout elements, and the layout elements are connected to constitute predetermined running lines. The layout elements 11, 12 and 13 are provided at their connecting end portions 14, 15, 16 and 17 with at least one mechanical joint means composed of a recess 19 and a protrusion 18, which can fit each other thereby to constitute a layout, in which the layout elements are mechanically jointed and integrated by the aforementioned joint means. Rail elements 21 and 22 are connected by rail connecting means disposed at a predetermined position of the layout elements, and the layout elements are jointed by the aforementioned joint means so that the rail elements are also electrically connected with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventor: Tatsuo Iwasawa
  • Patent number: 7111792
    Abstract: A connector for connecting two conductor rail sections, the connector having an electrical conductor that is fastened at each end to the conductor rails. A central region of the conductor is fastened to a connection element. The connection element is slidingly connected to both of the two conductor rails. The electrical conductor has two flexible, undulating portions. These are located between the central region of the electrical conductor and each of its two, attached ends, and serve to compensate for the expansion and contraction of the two conductor rails with changes in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Paul Vahle GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Arno Schröder, Michael Heitmann, Manuela Westermann
  • Patent number: 6386492
    Abstract: A temporary sign holder utilizes a clamping member attachable to a rail to support a sign post in an operative location. The clamping member is formed with two hooked shaped members that are tightened around the base of the rail from opposing sides. One of the hooked members has a threaded rod extending through a sleeve on the other hooked member with a locking ring threaded onto the rod to provide a tightening arrangement. A horizontal member extends outwardly from the hook shaped members. This arrangement enables the hooked shaped members to be pressed inwardly towards each other towards the rail web to provide a heightened degree of clamping force capable of resisting vibrational and other forces that occur as a result of train passage. A lock prevents unauthorized loosening of the locking ring to create a tamper-proof structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: National Railroad Passenger Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Brown, D. Bernard Heffernan, Nicholas J. Skoutelas
  • Patent number: 6244517
    Abstract: System for attaching an electric terminal connector to an element, including a threaded rod being one of, integral with, or fixed to the element and a nut, provided with a clamping washer adapted to clamp a terminal connector on one of, the element, or an electrically conductive member attached to the element. The clamping washer has a surface thereon adapted to be positioned across a surface on a terminal connector. The surfaces across from a terminal connector and the clamping washer are rotatable relative to each other without unscrewing the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Dubuis, Societe Anonyme
    Inventors: Alain Courtois, Jean-Pierre Huet
  • Patent number: 6186799
    Abstract: An electrical connector comprising a first member and at least one second member. The first member comprises a center section and two arms extending from the center section forming a first receiving area between the two arms. The second member is located in the first receiving area. The second member comprises at least one protrusion for piercing into a member located in the first receiving area when the connector is compressed onto the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: FCI USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith F Mello