E01B19/00

RAIL BOOT
20200283963 · 2020-09-10 ·

A flexible rail boot designed to encase a rail. The rail boot includes antenna and a truss, allowing for the storage and release of energy, locking the rail boot in place under the head of the rail after installation. The flexible rail boot may include a corrugated inner surface along the bottom of the base of the rail, compressing and deflecting energy from a train as well as allowing for the passage of water and debris.

Rail cooling system and method for reducing thermal expansion
10753654 · 2020-08-25 · ·

A thermal energy removal system is provided to cool a rail of a railway track in a self-powered mode and/or an externally-powered mode. The system comprises a cooling module configured to mount on a side of the rail to remove heat stored inside the rail. The cooling module includes a solid state electrical insulation sandwiched between a plate and a heat sink. The cooling module further includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The first and second terminals to provide an electric energy source based on the heat extracted and harnessed for powering at least one of an electronic circuit, a light source, and a communication device associated with railways infrastructure.

Rail cooling system and method for reducing thermal expansion
10753654 · 2020-08-25 · ·

A thermal energy removal system is provided to cool a rail of a railway track in a self-powered mode and/or an externally-powered mode. The system comprises a cooling module configured to mount on a side of the rail to remove heat stored inside the rail. The cooling module includes a solid state electrical insulation sandwiched between a plate and a heat sink. The cooling module further includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The first and second terminals to provide an electric energy source based on the heat extracted and harnessed for powering at least one of an electronic circuit, a light source, and a communication device associated with railways infrastructure.

THIRD RAIL HEATER CONTROL SYSTEM
20200256024 · 2020-08-13 ·

A system for remotely controlling third rail ribbon heaters is provided for preventing the accumulation of ice and snow on the rails. The system includes a plurality of switching assemblies that control a flow of electric current from the third rail of a railway to ribbon heaters mounted on the third rail. A remotely located digital controller provides switching commands to the switching assemblies via a radio link. The switching assemblies include current and voltage sensors that continuously provide current and voltage information that allows the digital controller to accurately predict when a heater failure condition is likely to occur so that ribbon heaters may be preemptively and safely replaced before failure. Each of the switching assemblies is contained in a junction box that includes both a door panel and a safety switch that disconnects the switching assembly from third rail current when the door panel is opened for improved safety.

THIRD RAIL HEATER CONTROL SYSTEM
20200256024 · 2020-08-13 ·

A system for remotely controlling third rail ribbon heaters is provided for preventing the accumulation of ice and snow on the rails. The system includes a plurality of switching assemblies that control a flow of electric current from the third rail of a railway to ribbon heaters mounted on the third rail. A remotely located digital controller provides switching commands to the switching assemblies via a radio link. The switching assemblies include current and voltage sensors that continuously provide current and voltage information that allows the digital controller to accurately predict when a heater failure condition is likely to occur so that ribbon heaters may be preemptively and safely replaced before failure. Each of the switching assemblies is contained in a junction box that includes both a door panel and a safety switch that disconnects the switching assembly from third rail current when the door panel is opened for improved safety.

Rail Heating Head
20200217020 · 2020-07-09 ·

A rail heating head includes an enclosure and an induction coil. The induction coil is positioned within the enclosure. When in use, the enclosure is positioned adjacent a lateral portion of a train track rail. To be positioned adjacent to the head, the web, and the foot of the train track rail, a rail-bracing wall of the enclosure has a convex exterior surface and a concave interior surface. The induction coil has a concave shape and is pressed against the concave interior surface. Thus, the induction coil can induce eddy current magnetic fields in the head, the web, and the foot maximizing surface area. The larger surface area results in molecules in a large area being activated and leads to more heat. An eddy current deflecting magnetic shield further directs magnetic fields towards the train track rail.

Rail Heating Head
20200217020 · 2020-07-09 ·

A rail heating head includes an enclosure and an induction coil. The induction coil is positioned within the enclosure. When in use, the enclosure is positioned adjacent a lateral portion of a train track rail. To be positioned adjacent to the head, the web, and the foot of the train track rail, a rail-bracing wall of the enclosure has a convex exterior surface and a concave interior surface. The induction coil has a concave shape and is pressed against the concave interior surface. Thus, the induction coil can induce eddy current magnetic fields in the head, the web, and the foot maximizing surface area. The larger surface area results in molecules in a large area being activated and leads to more heat. An eddy current deflecting magnetic shield further directs magnetic fields towards the train track rail.

DAMPING ARRANGEMENT FOR TRACKS
20200208354 · 2020-07-02 ·

A damping arrangement for tracks to be travelled over by rail vehicles having flanged wheels, including a) a rail, and b) an outer lateral profile of elastomer material which bears on the outer side of the rail at least in a region of a lateral outer rail head flank and in a region of an outer rail head underside, wherein the outer lateral profile has, in the region of the outer rail head underside and in the region of the lateral outer rail head flank, close to the rail, a soft region which is elastically resilient with respect to the rail head, and, in the region of the lateral outer rail head flank, remote from the rail, a substantially non-elastic hard region.

Compressible sealing element and use thereof for filling the gap between a stock rail and a switch rail in a railway switch

The compressible sealing element (1) comprises at least one piece made of a resilient foam (17). This foam has an open-cell content of at least 50% and has such a hardness that it requires a force of less than 2000 N to compress the sealing element (1) per meter length thereof to such an extent that the volume of a rectangular cuboid circumscribing the sealing element is reduced by 40%. The sealing element comprises a water-impermeable cover layer (18) which extends at least over its top surface. The sealing element is intended for filling at least partially the gaps between the stock rails (13) and the switch rails (12) in a railway switch to prevent the switch from being blocked in particular by snow. Advantages of the new sealing element is that it can easier be inserted in these gaps and that it has a smaller effect on the force required to close the switch so that it can also be applied closer to the free extremity of the switch rail (12).

Railway track heating device
10619310 · 2020-04-14 · ·

A device for heating of railway tracks is provided. The device comprises a magnetic field generator fed with a low-frequency current. The magnetic field generator is formed by a device without a circuit returning a magnetic flux generated by the magnetic field generator. Hereby the magnetic flux can be returned via a heater. The heater is a material generating heat when placed in the magnetic field. The heater can be the railway tracks or a plate provided in conjunction with the railway tracks.