Did You Know...
...that it was melting ice cream that inspired the invention of the outboard motor? It was a lovely August day and Ole Evinrude was rowing his boat to his favorite island picnic spot. As he rowed, he watched his ice cream melt and wished he had a faster way to get to the island. At that moment the idea for the outboard motor was born!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7441727 | Highway-rail grade crossing controller with out of service mode An electronic controller for a highway-railroad grade crossing warning system is coupled to an approach circuit and to an island circuit and activates a warning device when a train is present in either of the approach or the island circuits. The controller has a dis... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7416159 | Method and apparatus for controlling railway switches A wirelessly controlled railroad switch designed for uses in a dark territory. The switch is configured to operate without the use of vital communications links to a central location, or requiring a central dispatching system or requiring a vital processor such that... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7370837 | Model railroad switch machine A switch machine for a model railroad layout includes a unidirectional motor, a switch actuator coupled to the motor and movable between two switch positions by rotation of the motor, a sensor coupled to the switch actuator for sensing the position of the switch act... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7328872 | Remotely programmable intergrated controller for model train accessories An integrated controller system for use with existing railroad model accessories and operating cars comprises a miniaturized receiving device having a pulse recovery circuit, a micro-controller decoder circuit, an output driver circuit, and a specialized power distr... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7212957 | Model railroad control and display system A software tool and an electronic interface facilitate model railroaders in initiating, monitoring and directing the path trains (i.e. engine and rail cars) will traverse on the model layout. The software tool and an electronic interface are connected to one of the ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7210656 | Control, sound, and operating system for model trains A model train operating, sound and control system that provides a user with increased operating realism. A novel remote control communication capability between the user and the model trains. This feature is accomplished by using a handheld remote control on which v... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7140577 | Remote system for monitoring and controlling railroad wayside equipment A system for remote control of an electrically operated railroad wayside equipment having a power supply for powering the wayside equipment. a central controller provides central control signals. A transmitter associated with the controller receives the control sign... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7104509 | Combination model train proximity detector and signal A combination model train sensor and signal includes a train proximity sensor, a signal such as red yellow and green signal lights, semaphores, wig-wag signals and the like together with a controller connected to the proximity sensor and the signal and the controlle... | 09/12/2006 |
| 6597137 | Method and device for transmitting and receiving a control signal to a vehicle The invention relates to a method for transmitting a control signal to a vehicle which is driven using an electrical drive current which is fed into a traction current conductor at a drive current feed point. In order to ensure that the transmission of th... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6366041 | Railway switch machine motor control apparatus A motor control apparatus for a reversible motor of a railway switch machine includes a conditional power source having an output voltage. A motor control circuit includes inputs for inputting the voltage from the power source, inputs for inputting a norm... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6062514 | Railway switch circuit controller A railway switch circuit controller has a housing enclosing a laterally movable platform with a first and second target affixed thereupon. A first and second proximity sensor within the housing is positioned to detect the first and second target, respecti... | 05/16/2000 |
| 6039291 | Toy train control system A control system for use with a toy train system having a layout area including a track upon which a toy train runs includes a system component configured to operate within the toy train system and having a plurality of selective operative states. A contr... | 03/21/2000 |
| 5590856 | Complex switch turn-out arrangements using proximity selection A method and apparatus for directing the movement of a train around a model railroad track having one or more turn-outs activated by at least two separate arming signals. Each signal is linked to a specified direction of the turn-outs such as straight, cu... | 01/07/1997 |
| 5551653 | Method and device for the radio-frequency connection of active subsections of a radio-frequency transmission system If a vehicle fitted with a head station is to be mechanically and electrically coupled to other vehicles, attention must be paid to the alignment of the vehicles and the coupling condition of the high frequency plugs interconnecting the vehicles. In order... | 09/03/1996 |
| 5492290 | Model railroad operation using proximity selection An electronic control system for model railroads incorporates electronics which "arms" all railroad track switch turn-outs (here after referred to as "turn-outs") at once, selects and toggles the state of a specific turnout by the approach of a model trai... | 02/20/1996 |
| 5226619 | Actuator mechanism An electrically-controlled actuating mechanism comprises a length of shape memory wire. A source of electrical current passes electricity through the shape memory wire and a voltage regulator controls the voltage applied to the wire. The actuating mechani... | 07/13/1993 |
| 5050823 | Radio-based railway switch control system A switch machine operates a track switch under radio control via a switch controller. The switch controller may be given an identifying address unique to it which distinguishes the switch machine from other switch machines in the railway territory. In add... | 09/24/1991 |
| 4407072 | Thin flange and loose wheel detection system A system for detecting a thin wheel flange and condition and a loose wheel condition of railroad wheels includes relatively movable contacts actuated by the passing wheels and triggering switches when the contacts move together into a spacing less than a ... | 10/04/1983 |
| 4355776 | Toy railroad track switch arrangement A track switch assembly for toy electrically operated railroad trains comprising a plastic base having the usual main and branch lines and switch point arrangement therefor, in which the inside rails and the power rails of the main and branch lines are in... | 10/26/1982 |
| 3963203 | Automatic control system for railroad interlocking Trains approaching the junction switch for two converging rail lines are detected by separate approach relays which repeat one or more track sections along each approach line. Each approach relay is reset when the train from the corresponding branch, as d... | 06/15/1976 |
