Calbrandt, Inc.

Mcneilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc.

Motion Controls, LLC

Calvin J Brandt

Ronald E Christenson

William P Bartlett, Sr

Bradley J Goldbeck

Kenneth D Fritz

A chain and hydraulic motor-driven low dog railcar indexer is disclosed which is operable along a curved track section. The system includes left and right track side indexing railcar-moving arrangements, each of which includes an indexer track and a chain-return trough. The indexer tracks and chain return troughs are segmented to accommodate the curved railroad track section and wear pads are provided to enable chain operation in the curved section.

Railcar positioning system for curved track

A railcar handling system is disclosed that includes an indexing unit having a plurality of dog carriages, serially aligned in fixed spaced relation, each carriage carrying a railcar axle-engaging dog and a railcar wheel sensor and a hydraulic operating system including a hydraulic cylinder for moving the plurality of dog carriages in unison in a reciprocating ratcheting manner and operating said axle-engaging dogs. A control system is provided to coordinate the operation of the railcar handling system.

Ratcheting railcar indexer

An automated trackside railed car discharge gate operating system is disclosed which can automatically unload a string of cars 'on the fly' and without the need for a separate indexing system. The system includes a pair of carriage-mounted tool systems for opening/closing capstan-operated railcar gates disposed to travel along a carriage track and including visual devices that acquire and track capstans and coordinate tool orientation and operation.

Automated railcar gate operating system

A railcar positioning system operable as either an indexer or progressor is disclosed which includes a pair of spaced trackside railcar movers positioned outside and parallel to the rails of a railroad track. Each railcar mover includes a spaced trackside guideway located next to one of the railway rails, a plurality of spaced connected dog carriages mounted for operation together in the guideway, each dog carriage carrying a pusher dog mounted on the carriage, a reciprocating hydraulic cylinder associated with the plurality of spaced, connected dog carriages. A hydraulic power unit is connected to operate each of the cylinders individually or together and a control system is associated with the power unit for controlling the operation of the positioning system such that said positioning system may be optionally operated as an indexer or as a progressor.

Railcar positioning system

A railcar moving or positioning system incorporating relatively simple mechanical bogey frame side member sensing systems mounted on each dog carriage of a railcar indexing system is disclosed. Each sensing system is used to control the operation of a dog mounted on the same carriage. A mechanical follower device is employed to sense the underside of an encountered bogey frame side member. Deflection of the follower is used to operate a hydraulic valve which, in turn, is used as a control cylinder to raise or lower an adjacent dog member.

Bogey frame sensor for railcar mover

A single-carriage reversing train positioning system which includes an extending spike-type car engaging member for engaging and moving one or more railcars. An extending chuck assembly may be provided with the ability to operate gates in bottom-discharging railcars. The system uses a single self-propelled carriage with an on-board carriage drive system that includes a drive motor which operates the car along a fixed chain situated along a guideway. A generally horizontally disposed, laterally extendable pin car-engaging assembly is mounted on the car-moving carriage for aligning with and engaging a hook loop on a railcar for moving the car. A gate-operating assembly which includes a laterally extendable chuck system which aligns with, engages and rotates gate-operating capstans on bottom discharging railcars may also be provided.

Spike-type railcar mover with optional gate opener

The present invention provides a reversing train positioning system for engaging and moving a railroad car or trip of cars by engaging a bogey wheel truck frame. The train positioning system includes a dog carriage having a drive motor mounted on the dog carriage which operates to propel the dog carriage back and forth along a single tension chain in a carriage guideway provided alongside a railroad track. The carriage is supplied with electric power and hydraulic fluid from an attached flexible power track system which has a fixed end connected to a source of high pressure hydraulic fluid and a return sump and a source of electric power and a free end attached to move with the carriage. Alternatively, the entire hydraulic system may be carried on board the carriage.

Indexer with self-powered carriage

A dog carriage for a railway car indexing system for positioning a railway car or a trip of coupled railway cars having railway wheels mounted in and carrying bogey wheel truck frames by engaging and pushing against the bogey wheel truck frames using dogs includes a dog carriage frame moveable along a railroad track, a pair of spaced opposed dogs pivotally attached to the dog carriage frame for pivoting between a lowered position and a raised position to engage a bogey wheel truck frame in the raised position by movement of the dog carriage frame. A bogey wheel truck frame sensing device is carried on the dog carriage and a dog operating system is provided for controlling the position of each of the dogs individually between the lowered and the raised position.

Independent dog operating system

A train positioning system for moving railroad cars by engaging bogey frames from one side includes a dog carriage guideway spaced from and parallel to a railroad track, a dog carriage mounted to operate along the guideway, a first dog pivotally attached to the dog carriage to pivot in a generally horizontal plane between a retracted position and an extended position. The first dog is positioned to engage a bogey frame in a first direction and be deflected by the bogey frame in a second direction in the extended position. A second dog may be mounted in opposed spaced relation to the first dog also to pivot in a generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position. The second dog is configured to engage a bogey frame in the second direction and be deflected by the bogey frame in the first direction. A system is provided for reversibly operating the dog carriage along the guideway.

Low clearance train positioner

A rail car indexer that provides a continuous transfer of the rail car bogeys from one dog to the next without ramming into the rail car axles in either the forward or rearward directions. The rail car indexer includes two parallel linearly offset progressor each of which has a barney and dog attached thereto. A center balance and back pressure bypass valve are used to control the raising of the dogs and to insure that the dogs remain in their lowered position until the proper progressor is ready to begin pulling on the rail car bogey axle. Sensors and a photo eye emitter and receiver coordinate the extension, retraction and transfer of an axle between the progressors.

Cylinder type rail car indexer

A multi-compartment refuse and/or collection vehicle having an automated container handling mechanism that may automatically lift and dump a container into a preselected corresponding charging hopper of the vehicle. A microprocessor controls the extension, lift and lateral position of the container handling mechanism and analyzes the output voltage of potentiometers coupled to the container handling mechanism to thereby coordinate actuation of the container handling mechanism and smoothly pick up the container from the curbside, dump the container into the preselected corresponding charging hopper, and return the container to the same position on the curbside but above the ground a predetermined distance.

Auto cycle swivel mounted container handling system

A refuse and/or collection vehicle having an automated container handling mechanism that may automatically lift and dump a container into a charging hopper of the vehicle. A microprocessor controls the extension and lift of the container handling mechanism and analyzes the output voltage of potentiometers coupled to the container handling mechanism to thereby coordinate actuation of the container handling mechanism and smoothly pick up the container from the curbside, dump the container in the charging hopper, and return the container to the same position on the curbside but above the ground a predetermined distance.

A control and safety system for coordinating movement of multiple hydraulic cylinders to reciprocally rotate a truck-mounted refuse compacting arm. The system includes a logic board controller in communication with a cam and switch arrangement mechanically linked to the rotating arm. Signals from the switches indicate the position of the arm to the logic board which responds by operating directional control valves to regulate movement of the cylinders. A pressure switch is activated to rotate the arm in the opposite direction if the arm is prevented from reaching a limit switch.

Air logic system for side loader

A system for detecting leaks in a hydraulic system. The system shuts down the hydraulic system if a leak is detected and notifies individuals in the area that a leak has occurred. The leak detection system has sensors for measuring hydraulic system parameters and a computer for detecting abnormalities in the system based on values returned by the sensors. Sensors used in the example leak detection system include an RPM pickup, a pressure transducer, a flow meter and an hydraulic fluid level and temperature switch. Outputs of the sensors are analyzed by the computer to determine if the hydraulic system has a leak. If a leak is detected, the computer sends response signals to a device for engaging or disengaging the prime mover from the hydraulic pump and to another device for actuating a valve to stop hydraulic fluid flow from the reservoir. The computer may also send indicator signals to a display console for activating a warning light, a buzzer or a display.

Growing community of inventors

Delano, MN, United States of America

Calvin J Brandt