Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

Kenneth J Smajda

Benjamin L Henniges

Power connector

Break away rail car power connector nut

A railcar power connector includes a connector body defining a central opening configured to receive a portion of a cable, and a spring member having a protrusion moveable relative to the connector body between a locked position where the protrusion is configured to be secured to a mating connector and a released position where the protrusion is configured to be released from a corresponding recess of a mating connector. The protrusion moveable from the locked position to the released position upon a predetermined axial force applied to the spring member.

Breakaway railcar power connector

Rail car power connector

An electrical power connector assembly includes a body having a housing portion and a connection portion; a coupling ring rotatably disposed on the body; and a power connector disposed within the housing portion of the body. The power connector is configured to form a mating engagement with another power connector having the same configuration. The coupling ring is configured to engage a connection portion of another electrical power connector assembly having the same configuration and the connection portion of the body is configured to be engaged by a coupling ring of the other electrical power connector assembly. The coupling ring and the connection portion of the body are configured to engage the connection portion and the coupling ring of the other electrical power connector assembly, respectively, to bring the power connectors together to complete the mating engagement between the power connectors.

Growing community of inventors

Elkridge, MD, United States of America

Kenneth J Smajda