B61G5/08

Mechanical Coupling in Automated Gladhand System

A claw system for mechanical coupling a railcar mover to a railcar is disclosed herein. The claw assembly may comprise a set of arms and a set of claws each mounted on the interior side of one of the set of arms. When a railcar adjacent to a railcar mover on a set of tracks is positioned within a proximity of the railcar mover, the claw assembly may be utilized to grasp the air hose of the adjacent railcar. For example, the set of arms may be attached to the railcar mover via a motorized rail upon which the set of arms may be configured to move axially toward each other in a direction perpendicular to the tracks, thereby causing the claws to move toward each other and close around the air hose of the adjacent railcar. The claws may include openings configured to grasp the air hose.

RAIL CAR MOVER ATTACHMENT AND RELATED METHOD OF USE
20220017124 · 2022-01-20 ·

A rail car mover attachment includes a remote removably mounted in a machine cab and including an emergency actuator to abruptly activate a rail car brake, a lock pin actuator to move a lock pin relative to a rail car latch in a rail car coupler, and/or a controlled stop actuator to selectively activate a rail car brake. The attachment can include an onboard compressor, such as a high volume compressor. The attachment can include a disconnect unit that self-activates rail car brakes if the attachment loses power or detaches from equipment. The attachment can include a light showing the attachment is charged and running or showing a fault. The attachment can include a laterally extending indicator arm deployable when the rail car coupler is fully attached to the rail car, and that extends beyond a rail car width so that a spotter can visually verify the coupler status. A related method of use also is provided.

RAIL CAR MOVER ATTACHMENT AND RELATED METHOD OF USE
20220017124 · 2022-01-20 ·

A rail car mover attachment includes a remote removably mounted in a machine cab and including an emergency actuator to abruptly activate a rail car brake, a lock pin actuator to move a lock pin relative to a rail car latch in a rail car coupler, and/or a controlled stop actuator to selectively activate a rail car brake. The attachment can include an onboard compressor, such as a high volume compressor. The attachment can include a disconnect unit that self-activates rail car brakes if the attachment loses power or detaches from equipment. The attachment can include a light showing the attachment is charged and running or showing a fault. The attachment can include a laterally extending indicator arm deployable when the rail car coupler is fully attached to the rail car, and that extends beyond a rail car width so that a spotter can visually verify the coupler status. A related method of use also is provided.

PNEUMATIC COUPLER CONTROL ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR UNCOUPLING A COUPLER
20230373541 · 2023-11-23 ·

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method, the method comprising—uncoupling a mechanical coupler (M), —activating a first valve (2, 20) in response to the uncoupling of the mechanical coupler (M) by switching the first valve (2, 20) to a first state, —activating a valve unit (3, 30), —connecting an uncoupling control inlet (A) of the valve unit (3, 30) to a first valve unit outlet (34, 305) in response to the activation of the valve unit (3, 30), said uncoupling control inlet (A) being an inlet that is supplied by air from the MRP inlet (11), —deactivating an electrical coupler control device (6)—retracting the electrical coupler (E).

PNEUMATIC COUPLER CONTROL ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR UNCOUPLING A COUPLER
20230373541 · 2023-11-23 ·

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method, the method comprising—uncoupling a mechanical coupler (M), —activating a first valve (2, 20) in response to the uncoupling of the mechanical coupler (M) by switching the first valve (2, 20) to a first state, —activating a valve unit (3, 30), —connecting an uncoupling control inlet (A) of the valve unit (3, 30) to a first valve unit outlet (34, 305) in response to the activation of the valve unit (3, 30), said uncoupling control inlet (A) being an inlet that is supplied by air from the MRP inlet (11), —deactivating an electrical coupler control device (6)—retracting the electrical coupler (E).

Trip cock valve for a brake system on a rail car
10919504 · 2021-02-16 ·

A trip cock valve for a brake system on a rail car includes a valve body that defines an inlet, a chamber downstream from the inlet, and an outlet downstream from the chamber. A piston is inside the chamber. A valve member operably connected to the piston has a first position that prevents fluid flow through the outlet and a second position that permits fluid flow through the outlet. A lever is operably engaged with the valve member to move the valve member from the first position to the second position. A valve position indicator downstream from the inlet is in fluid communication with the inlet when the valve member is in the second position.

Trip cock valve for a brake system on a rail car
10919504 · 2021-02-16 ·

A trip cock valve for a brake system on a rail car includes a valve body that defines an inlet, a chamber downstream from the inlet, and an outlet downstream from the chamber. A piston is inside the chamber. A valve member operably connected to the piston has a first position that prevents fluid flow through the outlet and a second position that permits fluid flow through the outlet. A lever is operably engaged with the valve member to move the valve member from the first position to the second position. A valve position indicator downstream from the inlet is in fluid communication with the inlet when the valve member is in the second position.

Interlocking gladhands
10759452 · 2020-09-01 · ·

A gladhand coupling that prevents inadvertent separation of the coupling halves without the need for additional structure or manipulation to connect and disconnect the halves. Each half is equipped with a lug having a ramped pad and a flange defining a channel having a corresponding ramped pad. When two halves are positioned together then rotated into the locked position, the ramped pad of the lug is positioned proximately to the ramped pad of the flange to prevent inadvertent lateral compression of the two halves that could cause unintentional uncoupling. The coupling may be disconnected by simple rotation of one coupling half relative to the other and by pulling the coupling apart as done by current rail car decoupling procedures without the need for manual manipulation of extraneous locking mechanisms.

Interlocking gladhands
10759452 · 2020-09-01 · ·

A gladhand coupling that prevents inadvertent separation of the coupling halves without the need for additional structure or manipulation to connect and disconnect the halves. Each half is equipped with a lug having a ramped pad and a flange defining a channel having a corresponding ramped pad. When two halves are positioned together then rotated into the locked position, the ramped pad of the lug is positioned proximately to the ramped pad of the flange to prevent inadvertent lateral compression of the two halves that could cause unintentional uncoupling. The coupling may be disconnected by simple rotation of one coupling half relative to the other and by pulling the coupling apart as done by current rail car decoupling procedures without the need for manual manipulation of extraneous locking mechanisms.

HOLDER FOR MOUNTING A SECOND PART ON A MAIN STRUCTURE BETWEEN CAR BODY ENDS OF A RAIL VEHICLE
20200255040 · 2020-08-13 ·

The present invention relates to a holder for mounting a second part on a main structure between car body ends of a rail vehicle, comprising a first holding structure having a first contact surface, the first holding structure being configured to be attached to a main structure; a second holding structure having a second contact surface, the second holding structure being configured to be attached to a second part, and the second holding structure further being arranged to be mounted on the first holding structure with one of the first and second contact surfaces resting on the other; a fastening device for fastening the second holding structure to the first holding structure to form a mounted state, the first and second contact surfaces being pressed against each other in the mounted state, and wherein the first and second contact surfaces in the mounted state each extend at a first angle in relation to a horizontal axis, said first angle () being more than 1 degree and less than 30 degrees, and wherein the fastening device (53) extends in a direction parallel to or coinciding with the horizontal axis (A).