Thomas & Betts International LLC

Other

Emerging Acquisitions, LLC

Bnsf Railway Company

Sfs-intec Holding Ag

F. D. Farnam Co.

F. D. Farnum Co.

James Cole

Alan D Borgstrom

Christopher Parr

Thomas Brooks

Larry Norman Siebens

Daniel Scheerer

Rod Nelson

Tracey Manton

Corey Rakow

Mike Schlueter

Paul Rudolph

Trevor Johnson

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for autonomous data collection and system control of a material recovery facility (MRF). A control system receives data from set of sensors that reflect a status of the MRF. The control system determines an operating status of various MRF components (e.g., material handling units (MHUs), sensors, and/or other elements) and/or a composition of a waste stream being processed by the MRF. The control system controls MHU(s) based on the data to optimize the recovery and/or purity of recoverable materials from the waste stream. The control system may rearranging MHUs within the MRF and/or re-tasking individual MHUs to perform different handling functions. Machine learning (ML) and/or artificial intelligence (AI) mechanisms can be used to optimize the operation of the MRF in an autonomous fashion. Other aspects are also disclosed.

Autonomous data collection and system control for material recovery facilities

Disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for autonomous data collection and system control of a material recovery or recycling facility. In some embodiments, a central control system receives inputs in the form of at least one data stream from each of one or more environmental sensors that reflect the status of a material recovery facility (MRF). The inputs are used to determine the operating status of one or more components of the MRF, and/or composition of a waste stream being processed by the MRF. At least one material handling unit is controlled in response to the inputs to optimize the recovery and/or purity of recyclable or recoverable materials from the waste stream. A service unit or mechanism may also be controlled in response to the inputs indicating that a component of the MRF requires servicing.

A device for in-situ, dynamic repair of a railroad can include two connected machines. A first one of machines can be a track lifting unit that can clamp the rails of the railroad and lift the track in its entirety out of its track bed. The first machine also can plow ballast away from and/or toward the rails, and level the track bed for the rails before they are lowered. In addition, the track lifting unit can remove selected railroad ties. The second machine can include a power unit that can provide hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical power to both machines. The power unit also can provide track stabilization by settling ballast and can free debris from the railroad while it is raised.

System, method and appartus for in-situ, dynamic repair of a railroad

A self-drilling, self-countersinking fastener is provided that includes a shaft, a countersunk head located at a first end of the shaft, and a tapered point located at an opposite end of the shaft. A thread integrally extends from the shaft and extends along at least a portion of a length thereof. The countersunk head includes a frustoconical region having a first, smaller diameter in a shaft connection region and a second, larger diameter at a second end defining an edge area of the head. A plurality of radially extending ribs are located on the frustoconical region and extend from an area of the first, smaller diameter to a respective radially outer rib end spaced radially inwardly by a distance X from the edge area of the head. A respective cutting edge is located on each of the ribs.

Self-drilling, self-countersinking fastener

An electrical connector assembly may include a connector body having a conductor receiving end and first and second connector ends formed substantially perpendicularly to an axial direction of the conductor receiving end. The connector body includes a first axial bore that communicates with each of a second axial bore and a third axial bore in the first and second connector ends, respectively. The electrical connector assembly may include a conductor spade assembly received in the first axial bore, wherein the conductor spade assembly includes a spade portion extending between the second axial bore and the third axial bore. A removeable contact may be received within the second axial bore to conductively engage the spade portion of the conductor spade assembly.

Electrical connector having alignment mechanism

An electrical connector assembly may include a connector body having a conductor receiving end, a first link interface, a second link interface, a first connector end, and a visible open port between the first link interface and the second link interface. The first link interface may be conductively coupled to the conductor receiving end and the second link interface may be spaced axially from the first link interface and conductively coupled to the first connector end. The first link interface and the second link interface are configured to receive a link assembly therein. An insulative material may be positioned within the connector body axially between the first link interface and the second link interface. At least a portion of the insulative material may be visible through the visible open port.

Visible open for switchgear assembly

An electrical connector assembly may include a connector body having a conductor receiving end, a connector end, a linking assembly connecting the conductor receiving end to the connector end, and a visible open port positioned in the connector body for viewing at least a portion of the linking assembly. The linking assembly may include a rearward conductive end conductively coupled to the conductor receiving end, a flexible conductor conductively coupled to the connector end, and a linking pin coupled to the flexible conductor and movable between a first position and a second position. The first position maintains the conductor receiving end electrically isolated from the connector end, and the second position conductively couples the conductor receiving end to the connector end.

A method and apparatus for mixing fuel and an oxidizing agent includes an electrically charged electrode which forms an electrostatic field through which a stream of fuel is passed so that the fuel particles become electrostatically charged and subsequently repel one another to disperse into and mix with an oxidizing agent and vaporize on contact with a heat source such as the wall surface of an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine or the walls of fuel burning apparatus, or combustion chambers of jet or rocket engines and the like. Fuel particles passing through the electrostatic field are charged by induction charging and in addition may also be electrostatically charged by direct contact with the electrode, which is provided with an open outlet end to permit a relatively unobstructed flow of intermixed fuel and oxidizing agent with a minimum of flow resistance and little possibility of ice formation.

Apparatus for electrostatic fuel mixing

An electric motor assembly has a stator assembly provided with a stator winding and an adjacent air gap aperture. A support member is provided at one end of the air gap aperture for positioning a non-rotatable rotor shaft in the air gap aperture. A rotor assembly has a central aperture in which first and second bearing are positioned. Each bearing is seated at one end against a beveled portion at an end of the rotor central aperture. The other end of each bearing is retained and biased against the beveled portion by a retaining spring secured to the rotor assembly. The first and second bearing rotatably engage the rotor shaft and permit the rotor assembly to rotate about the rotor shaft in the air gap aperture.

Electric motor assembly

A precombustion conditioning device for gasoline fired internal combustion engines comprising at least one cupped or dished foraminous member disposed across the fuel-air intake passageway of the engine between the carbuetor and fuel-air inlet of the engine, with the foraminous member being electrically insulated from both the carburetor and the engine, with the foraminous member being electrically connected to the positive terminal of a direct current power source, such as the automobile battery, and the negative terminal of the power source being connected to the engine and hence the inside wall of the intake manifold. The mixture of air and gasoline passes through the positively charged foraminous member where the liquid gasoline particles involved, through contact, become positively charged, whereby the positively charged particles repel each other and in passing into the engine intake manifold are attracted to and against the negatively charged interior walls of the manifold and engine to be spread out in thin layers for maximized evaporation of the gasoline, with resultant improved engine performance, gasoline mileage, and reduction of pollutants.

Precombustion conditioning device for internal combustion engines

An automatic temperature responsive damper assembly for use primarily with turbine-type attic ventilators is disclosed. A temperature sensitive power element capable of generating a force in the order of fifty pounds per square inch is positioned beneath the vane or vanes of the damper. The preferred power element is a sealed bellows unit containing the appropriate heat-expansible fluid. Expansion of the bellows with increased heat actuates a pivoted lever to cause opening and closing of the damper over a predetermined range of temperatures. Communication of the lever movement to movement of the damper vane or vanes is accomplished by providing the free end of the pivoted lever with an upwardly extending arm having a vane engaging camming surface. By shaping the camming surfaces in a sinusoidal fashion, a rapid initial opening of the damper is provided as well as protection against damage to the damper assembly should the maximum preset temperature be exceeded.

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Oxford, NJ, United States of America

James Cole