Continuous Contact Patents (Class 246/73)
  • Patent number: 6533222
    Abstract: A railway vehicle safety shunt system includes a pair of axle-mounted rail wheels having outer circumferential surfaces that engage the upper surfaces of the rails, respectively, radially outwardly flange portions that engage the lateral portions of the rails, respectively, and adjacent end surfaces that are respectively engaged by a pair of spring-biased wire brushes arranged parallel with the axis of rotation of the associated rail wheel. The brushes are electrically connected by a shunt conductor, thereby to present an indication of the location of the railway vehicle at a remote vehicle position monitoring and dispatching station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Inventor: Gaetano D. Brooks
  • Patent number: 4892980
    Abstract: The invention is a conveyor assembly (10) having a vehicle (12) which moves about a track (18). The track (18) includes rails (20) extending therealong for supplying power and command signals to the vehicle (12). The rails (20) are separated into isolated sections separated by buffers (24) with each section supplying electrical signals. The vehicle (12) includes at least two contacting pads (32, 33) for contacting a rail (20) and conducting the electrical signal on the rail (20) to the vehicle (12). The contracting pads are spaced a distance such that at least one contacting pad (32, 33) is in electrical connection with the rail (20) so that the vehicle (12) continuously receives the electrical signals. The receiver (34) of the vehicle (12) receives the signals from both contacting pads (32, 33) and combines the signals while preventing back feeding to the other contact pad (32, 33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: J. N. Fauver Company
    Inventor: Ron Riley