Other

The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator

Charles C Wallace

Charles P Swanson

John W Redmon, Jr

James R Currie

Ralph R Kissel

Earnest C Smith

Charles E Oliver

A robotic vehicle (10) is shown with conventional train flanged wheels (11) riding upon common railroad tracks (12). The body (13) of the vehicle encloses a conventional diesel electric power unit (14) with speed characteristics comparable to the train it precedes. The power unit (14) is controlled by a computer program, but has remote control override provisions in the software as directed by the engineer in the locomotive cab following the robotic vehicle (RV). The RV (10) has a television camera (15) viewing the track ahead and a transmitter (16) for sending the video signal to the locomotive cab's TV monitor (17)/video cassette recorder (18). The range and power of the electromagnetic wave exchange directly between the RV and cab will be low power broadcasts and signal frequencies as assigned by the FCC. The RV has safety sensors as described in the detailed description which display warnings in the locomotive cab for the engineer to apply the train's brakes in time, thus preventing an accident, since the distance between the train and the RV is approximately 1 to 2 miles.

Robotic railroad accident prevention vehicle and associated system

A tool is shown having a cross beam assembly (15) made of beams (18, 19, 20, 21) joined by a center box structure (23). The assembly (15) is adapted to be mounted by brackets (16) to the outer end of a cylindrical case (11). The center box structure (23) has a vertical shaft (25) rotatably mounted therein and extending beneath the assembly (15). Secured to the vertical shaft (25) is a radius arm (28) which is adapted to rotate with shaft (25). On the longer end of the radius arm (28) is a measuring tip (30) which contacts the cylindrical surface to be measured and which provides an electric signal representing the radius of the cylindrical surface from the center of rotation of the radius arm (28). An electric servomotor (49) rotates the vertical shaft (25) and an electronic resolver (61) provides an electric signal representing the angle of rotation of the shaft (25). The electric signals are provided to a computer station (73) which has software for its computer to calculate and print out the continuous circumference profile of the cylindrical surface, and give its true diameter and the deviations from the ideal circle.

Cylindrical surface profile and diameter measuring tool and method

A gate valve which prevents the accumulation of pressure within the valve housing when closed is disclosed. The device employs poppets which are located on both sides of a shuttle carried in the gate structure and movable transversely thereto. The shuttle fits in the gate structure in a manner to facilitate the communication of fluid throughout the valve housing so as to equalize, in the closed position, pressure throughout the valve housing, with upstream line pressures. The device also is reversely operable to respond to pipeline backflow.

Gate valve with poppet closure

A novel gate for use in a gate valve is provided with a cylindrical port which extends from the gate's upstream face to a downstream face. Sand grooves are provided on each face and passages extending in a radial direction from the port's cylindrical wall to the grooves are also provided. The passages are thus aligned with their longitudinal axes being generally perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow which enhances flushing of particles such as sand or scale from the grooves. A novel shell core and core box for making same are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Huntsville, AL, United States of America

Charles C Wallace