Abstract:
An overhead railway and trolley for transporting miners out of a mine. The railway is formed by connected rails that are mounted to a roof of a mine. The trolley is mounted to a bottom flange of the rails and includes wheel assemblies having at least two wheels mounted side-by-side, and each is configured to engage and roll along a top surface of the bottom flange. The trolley has a clicker that is configured to engage protrusions extending away from the bottom flange. The clicker permits the trolley to travel out of the mine but prevents it from traveling into the mine. The trolley also includes a pair of handles that are configured to be gripped by a miner standing on a floor of the mine as he travels from the beginning of the railway to the ending (i.e., the egress direction).
Abstract:
A parking management system that facilitates motorist guidance, payment, violation detection, and enforcement using highly accurate space occupancy detection, unique vehicle identification and guidance displays is described. The system enables reduced time to find parking, congestion mitigation, accurate violation detection, and easier enforcement, and increased payment and enforcement revenues to cities. A system facilitating intersection management is also described having applicability to road intersections and railway crossings.
Abstract:
There is provided a system for managing information comprising a network, a hand-held mobile device, and a central server computer. The network is established between the central server computer and the hand-held mobile device to communicate computer readable information between the central server computer and the hand-held mobile device. In an embodiment, the computer-readable information is human interface information related to operation of a train.
Abstract:
A railroad switch indicator for visually signaling the position of a pair of railroad switchpoints independently of the mechanism for operating the switch. The indicator includes a sleeve with windows in which is reciprocated a slide with reflectors selected ones of which are visible through the windows of the sleeve for indicating safety conditions of the track. An arm with an upwardly extending finger engages the slide and is attached to the transverse bar that moves the switchpoints for reciprocation of the slide within the sleeve conjointly with movement of the switchpoints by the transverse bar.
Abstract:
This invention is a railroad wayside signal system positioned adjacent to a railroad track that comprises a mast that is attached to a support structure in an upright position. A signal head having one or more signal lights is mounted to the mast such that a locomotive operator in an approaching locomotive can see the signal lights. The mast pivots with respect to the support structure between the upright position and a substantially horizontal position for maintaining and/or aligning the signal head and signal lights. The signal system may also be equipped with one or more actuators operatively connected to the signal head. A remote control unit is placed in communication with the actuators, and the remote control has an input mechanism for inputting a command representative of a direction of rotation of the signal head. The remote control also generates a signal in response to the input command that is representative of one or more directions of rotation.
Abstract:
A traffic crossing warning device is provided. The device includes a beam transmitter for transmitting a beam such as an IR beam, and a beam sensor in electrical communication with a signal processor for sensing the IR beam. In addition, the device includes a multimedia warning beacon, and a mounting device for supporting the beacon adjacent a roadway intersection. The warning beacon is activated when the beam sensor senses that the beam is not being received for a predetermined period of time. In one aspect, the warning beacon has a warning light, a speaker for delivering an audible signal, and a display for providing a written warning. A method for warning motorists of the presence of an oncoming locomotive object such as a train using the warning device is also provided.
Abstract:
An operational status detection system for a railroad warning device having a warning light, comprising: a photo detector configured to generate a signal corresponding to a light output of the warning light of the railroad warning device, the photo detector comprising a lens, an optical filter and a photodiode, wherein the optical filter is disposed between the photodiode and the lens and the optical filter is configured to provide the light output of the warning light to be presented as a substantially uniform spatial response to the photodiode wherein areas of high intensity of the warning light that are received by the lens are attenuated, the areas of high intensity providing higher light outputs than other areas of the warning light; and a microcontroller for receiving the signal, wherein the microcontroller compares the signal to at least one threshold value, the at least one threshold value corresponding to an acceptable light output of the warning light.
Abstract:
A railroad signaling device for conveying information to a train engineer comprises a pylon adapted to be secured to a cross tie of the railroad track at a location to be passed over by a train as the train moves down the track. The pylon has front and rear faces that bear indicia fabricated of a retroflective material to reflect the train's headlight back in the direction of the engineer. The pylon is located along the railroad track to be easily detectable by an engineer, especially in fog or inclement weather when the engineer's attention is focused down the track ahead.
Abstract:
An apparatus for representing the state of a condition, the condition having a true state and a false state, the apparatus comprising an indicator having a recognizable feature indicative of the true state of the condition, a cover for covering the indicator and a support for removably supporting the indicator and cover on a surface. The apparatus includes a device for moving the indicator and the cover relative to each other such that the true state of the condition is represented by the indicator being uncovered and the false state of the condition is represented by the indicator being covered.
Abstract:
A knockdown-type target which can be readily packaged for handling and sale and which can be easily assembled for quick installation atop the turnable shaft of a stationary railway switch stand. It comprises a rod which provides a spindle whose upper end is provided with circumferentially spaced keeper slots for the slotted interconnected right angularly disposed distinguishably colored target blades. The upper screw threaded terminal of the spindle is provided with a cap-nut which maintains the replaceable blades in their set positions.