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Class 246/182B - Automatic vehicle-carried braking


Subclass of Class 246 - Railway switches and signals
No. of patents: 108
Last issue date: 04/15/2008


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NumberTitleIssue Date
7359770Control system for operating long vehicles
The present invention is directed to a system and method for optimizing the dynamics and energy usage of long vehicles such as freight trains by determining their operating conditions and calculating an optimal sequence of power and braking control actions. The sequ...
04/15/2008
7343314System and method for scheduling and train control
A scheduling system and method for moving plural objects through a multipath system described as a freight railway scheduling system. The scheduling system utilizes a cost reactive resource scheduler to minimize resource exception while at the same time minimizing t...
03/11/2008
7255525Online, safe service technique for automated libraries
A safety system for online servicing of a media library is provided, wherein the library comprises a plurality of media storage cells and at least one media picker robot that moves along the media storage cells, and wherein the library is contained within an enclosu...
08/14/2007
RE39758Remote control system for a locomotive
A locomotive control system comprising a remote transmitter issuing RF binary coded commands and a slave controller mounted on the locomotive that decodes the transmission and operates in dependence thereof various actuators to carry into effect the commands of the ...
08/07/2007
7177732Automatic coupling of locomotive to railcars
An automatic coupling system (10) for a locomotive (11). The automatic coupling system includes a means for detecting a coupling contact and for controlling locomotive systems such as throttle and brakes in response to such contact. The means for detec...
02/13/2007
7143017Remote control locomotive simulator
A remote control locomotive simulator including a display and a first input device similar to a remote control locomotive controller to be operated by the operator to provide train signals. A computer drives the display to move a train relative to a track in respons...
11/28/2006
7092801Train control system and method of controlling a train or trains
A train control system includes positioning systems at the end of the train and at the front of the train, allowing the conductor or engineer to unambiguously determine that no cars of the train have become detached. The positioning system at the end of the train is...
08/15/2006
7027901Transmitter and receiver device for train detection
A transmitter and receiver device used together with a control device provided on ground, which performs detection of a train, performs transmission and reception of a train detecting signal, and collates data added to a received train detection signal with predeter...
04/11/2006
7021588System and method for managing two or more locomotives of a consist
The system and method for controlling a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes. The method comprises receiving a control command and determining a power operating mode of the first locomotive and a power operating mode of th...
04/04/2006
7021589Control system for optimizing the operation of two or more locomotives of a consist
A system for controlling, a response to an operator, a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes. The system comprises an operator control, a first controller, a second controller, and a communication link. Alternatively, the s...
04/04/2006
RE39011Remote control system for a locomotive
A locomotive control system comprising a remote transmitter issuing RF binary-coded commands and a slave controller mounted on the locomotive that decodes the transmission and operates in dependence thereof various actuators to carry into effect the commands of the ...
03/14/2006
6996461Method and system for ensuring that a train does not pass an improperly configured device
A train control system includes a positioning system and consults a database to determine when the train is approaching a configurable device such as a switch or grade crossing gate. The system continuously interrogates the device to determine its status as the trai...
02/07/2006
6954690Vehicle movement stabilizing device
A vehicle movement stabilizing device is provided which in effectively functioning braking, acceleration and turning movement during travel of the vehicle by activating the frictional force adding device, reliably controls the start and end of the operation of the f...
10/11/2005
6931995Train maintenance automating system
An automation system for train maintenance that performs operations related to train maintenance without human intervention is provided. The automation system for train maintenance comprises a refuse reservoir (10), a sewage tank (20), a water tank (
08/23/2005
6928855Zero speed indicating devices and processes for testing same
The subject invention is directed to methods, processes and decisions on test outcomes for testing for faulty, therefor dangerous, performance of zero speed indicators that are used to control the opening of barriers guarding moving machine components. The indicator...
08/16/2005
6631873Protection device to prevent train incursions into a forbidden area
A protection device for a train is disclosed. The protection device works in conjunction with a remote controlled braking system on the train. The remote controlled braking system includes a transmitter in the locomotive of the train and a receiver locate...
10/14/2003
6629709Wheel/rail adhesion enhancement
If the wheel/rail adhesion for a railway vehicle is insufficient then the wheels may slip when braking. If slipping is detected, a control system may reduce the brake pressure to permit a controlled level of slip and so to optimize the braking force for t...
10/07/2003
6484085Entering and exiting ECP mode for an integrated ECP/EAB system
A method of transitioning between the pneumatic and electric modes of an integrated pneumatic/electro-pneumatic train brake system which includes a brake control having a common operator brake controller. Initially, the control applies the brakes in respo...
11/19/2002
6353780Grade speed control and method for railway freight vehicle
A grade speed control system and method for a railway freight vehicle can include a microprocessor receiving input from, for example, the dynamic and independent brakes on the locomotive, and the brakes on each rail car. The microprocessor can store value...
03/05/2002
6332107Efficient high density train operations
The present invention provides methods for preventing low train voltages and managing interference, thereby improving the efficiency, reliability, and passenger comfort associated with commuter trains. An algorithm implementing neural network technology i...
12/18/2001
6219595Method of minimizing undesirable brake release
A method of and a system for minimizing undesirable brake release in the brake system of a train having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller. The method includes determining the status of t...
04/17/2001
6173849Termination of power and communications trainline of electro-pneumatic brakes
A leading end termination connector on each locomotive and an EP line termination circuit in the leading end termination connector. The leading end connector of a locomotive not connected to an adjacent locomotive is connected to the leading end terminati...
01/16/2001
6108596Process and device for the control and/or regulation of wagon body tilt systems
A process and a device for the control and/or regulation of a wagon body tilt system (1) for a railed vehicle, e.g., a train. Limit values with respect to comfort are taken into consideration for this purpose. In an equivalent way, these limit values pres...
08/22/2000
6067485Method of controlling 20 pipe pressure
An improved method is used to control the pressure in the IAR pipe of a train. The train is typically equipped with an independent brake handle, a control reservoir, an IAR control portion and a computer for controlling the IAR control portion generally a...
05/23/2000
6035250Locomotive brake control unit with dynamic brake interlock
A locomotive brake control unit includes a manifold having a brake cylinder module for controlling pressure at the brake cylinder port in response to at least train braking signals and first and second ports on the control unit for receiving electropneuma...
03/07/2000
6012681Automatic identification of EP brake equipped railcars
An automatic identification system having a storage device mounted on the car, which includes the car identification data. A reading device is connected to a local communication node which communicates with the locomotive in a network. The local communica...
01/11/2000
6002978Hoslter control of a computer train brake system
The present hostler control of a computer control train brake system combines the computer control of the train and locomotive brake system with a manual control during a hostler mode to provide soft and safe operation of the vehicle. Interlocks provide e...
12/14/1999
5995881Integrated cab signal rail navigation system
The cab signal and rail navigation systems of a railway locomotive are combined to form a single integrated system capable of acting as an automatic train protection system. The train travels along a railway route equipped with a wayside signaling system ...
11/30/1999
5967465Automatic identification of EP brake equipped railcars
An automatic identification system having a storage device mounted on the car, which includes the car identification data. A reading device is connected to a local communication node which communicates with the locomotive in a network. The local communica...
10/19/1999
5950967Enhanced distributed power
A train throttle and brake control apparatus is provided for use in a train having a master locomotive and one or more slave locomotives remotely located in the train. In a first embodiment, the apparatus includes a train force calculator which approximat...
09/14/1999
5936517System to minimize the distance between trains
Each train detects its location, velocity, and the time it will spend to pass the next bifurcation, joint, and intersection, respectively, and sends the information periodically to the trains that are or will be behind the train. The controller of each bi...
08/10/1999
5901650Dynamic buffer for conveyor modules
A method of operating an automotive production line including the steps of advancing a plurality of self-propelled carriages along a conveyor of the production line. The carriages are continuously advanced at a fixed operational speed and a fixed operatio...
05/11/1999
5803411Method and apparatus for initializing an automated train control system
A vehicle initialization system for a control system that includes a vehicle, such as a train that is to be initialized, a vehicle track, a first reader, an onboard computer and a tachometer. The vehicle is adapted to coact with the track. At least two sp...
09/08/1998
5758848Automatic switching system for track-bound freight cars
An automatic switching system integrated into freight cars includes a microcomputer for controlling the automatic system and regulating the shunting speed, a rotary pulse generator for determining the shunting distance and freight car speed, distance sens...
06/02/1998
5740029Software algorithm providing dynamic configuration of dead band control criteria within a micro based real time process control environment
The invention provides a real time process control system for control of machinery. The system has a master control module and a slave control module which receives control signals from the master control module. Both control modules send control signals ...
04/14/1998
5734989Environmentally controlled locomotive computer and display
To reduce the environmental affects on a locomotive control system, optical couplers connect the brake control handle and propulsion control handle to the computer and connect electromagnetic control valves to the computer....
03/31/1998
5681015Radio-based electro-pneumatic control communications system
A radio-based, Electro-Pneumatic (EP) rail car braking system supports both End-of-Train (EOT) and Distributed Power Control (DPC) communication systems. The EP rail car braking system operates within existing frequency allocations and meets operational r...
10/28/1997
5673876Automatic electric trainline safety interlock
A method and apparatus for preventing energization or powering of an electric trainline until a test signal transmitted through the train is verified by the locomotive....
10/07/1997
5642869Apparatus for detecting the distance between two objects
An optical scanner transmits a light beam from the forward end of a moving track vehicle with the beam inclined toward the direction of movement toward another vehicle on the track. A highly reflective retroreflector tape is secured to the rear end of the...
07/01/1997
5638276Microprocessor based system and method for regulating a railroad car brake pipe pressure
A microprocessor based brake pipe pressure control system for one or more cars of a railroad train wherein the local exhaust of each car brake pipe pressure, under control of an electro-pneumatic valve, is individually regulated such that the gradient of ...
06/10/1997
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