Patent Application
20240308554
The present invention relates to a rail safety device for rail workers. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an end-of-train rail safety device useful for externally immobilizing a train as well as providing visual and audible warnings to indicate a train is being worked and should not be operated and that precautions should be taken as there are workmen nearby.
While a train is being worked or while a train is being loaded with more railcars, various pre-cautions are taken to ensure the safety of those around the train. Among other safety devices useful for alerting those working around trains are devices configured for use at the end of a train and mounted on the last railcar of a train for visual indications. Although mounted on the last railcar of the train, the safety device is disposed on the leading end of the train as a locomotive is disposed in a manner to push the railcars instead of a normal operating mode where the locomotive would be pulling the railcars. Therefore, what would normally be referred to as the end-of-train is now the leading end of a train. When trains or railcars are required to be shoved to a location, i.e., when the locomotive providing propulsion is not on the leading end of the train cars, a crewmember must be stationed on the leading end of the train. The crewmember will protect the shoving movement and give direction to the engineer of the locomotive via radio or hand signals. Since there is no locomotive on the leading end of a shoving movement, the crewmember is not afforded any protection of visible or audible signals that would normally be provided by the locomotive. The crewmember would only have a radio to communicate with the engineer, and perhaps a hand lantern at night.
A locomotive, aside from providing the motors to propel the train, also has headlights, auxiliary lights, a bell and a horn to provide warning to others. The locomotive also contains the braking equipment needed to control the train. A train or railcar moving without the locomotive on the leading end, lacks all of these safety items. The headlight typically illuminates the track ahead at night, but also calls attention to the moving train both day and night. The strobe typically calls attention to the moving train both day and night. The alarm and horn can be used to provide audible warning signals day and night. The emergency brake feature allows the crewmember to stop the movement if radio communication fails or if posed with any other imminent hazard that would require an immediate stop. There is no device available to allow a crewmember to remotely activate audible and visible safety devices to protect shoving movements nor to stop a moving train when communication with the locomotive is lost or other imminent hazard exists.
There exists a need for a safety device that is not only capable of displaying only a solid warning light but also other types of visual warnings as well as audio warnings to further assist in workmen safety around trains. There also exists a need for a safety device capable of retarding a moving train without deferring that ability to a railroad engineer. There also exists a need for remotely controllable audio and visual warnings and a remotely controllable mechanism for stopping a train.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a safety device including a pneumatic conductor and a pneumatic valve, the pneumatic conductor configured to be connected at a first end of the pneumatic conductor to the pneumatic valve and the pneumatic conductor configured to be connected at a second end to a second valve, wherein the second valve is configured to be pneumatically connected to an air brake system, wherein the pneumatic valve is opened to activate the air brake system and closed to de-activate the air brake system.
In one embodiment, the safety device further includes an enclosure within which the pneumatic valve is disposed, wherein the enclosure is a briefcase-style enclosure to allow easy access to the pneumatic valve for maintenance. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a mounting rod configured to be insertable into an aperture of at least about 1.25 inch in diameter. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a visual output device. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a lamp configured for supplying light at a brightness of at least about 5900 lumens. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a strobe light configured for supplying light of an intensity of about 100-1000 candela. In one embodiment, the visual output device is configured to be remotely controllable by a controller. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes an audio output device. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a bell configured for supplying sound of at least about 97 decibels. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a horn configured for supplying sound of at least about 113 decibels. In one embodiment, the audio output device is configured to be remotely controllable by a controller. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a controller, the pneumatic valve is configured to be remotely controllable by the controller. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a handheld remote controller configured to control the pneumatic valve to open or to control the pneumatic valve to close. In one embodiment, the handheld remote controller includes a magnet configured to hold the handheld remote controller to a magnetic material. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a lanyard configured to be attached to the handheld remote controller to facilitate transport of the handheld remote controller by the lanyard. In one embodiment, the lanyard is configured to be separable to prevent strangling of a user by the lanyard when it is used around the neck of the user. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a pressure gauge configured to be functionally connected to the pneumatic conductor to sense the pressure of the air brake system. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a rechargeable battery configured to power the pneumatic valve. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a reflector.
In accordance with the present invention, there is further provided a safety device including:
An object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for locally activating an air brake system of a train.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for locally activating an air brake system of a train using a remote controller.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device capable of supplying visual and audible warnings.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device that can be easily actuated by a user riding on a railcar.
Whereas there may be many embodiments of the present invention, each embodiment may meet one or more of the foregoing recited objects in any combination. It is not intended that each embodiment will necessarily meet each objective. Thus, having broadly outlined the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, there are, of course, additional features of the present invention that will be described herein and will form a part of the subject matter of this specification.
In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
The present safety device allows the brakes of a railcar to be applied or released. The present safety device allows the brakes of a railcar to be applied or released by remote control. As the remote controller useful for remotely controlling the application and release of the brakes of the railcar to which the present safety device is installed, e.g., typically end-of-train, and any railcars and a locomotive pneumatically connected to the present safety device, the brakes of the train can be externally controlled.
The present safety device includes a briefcase-style enclosure to allow easy access to any devices disposed therein including a valve, a controller, a lamp and a strobe light, etc., for repair and maintenance while providing protection during normal operation and transportation of the safety device.
The use of a present safety device improves railroad safety in many situations. The headlight alone provides a great improvement over the currently used handheld lanterns. The crewmember will not need to use a hand to aim the lantern and can keep that hand as a grip on the handholds or ladder.
The term “about” is used herein to mean approximately, roughly, around, or in the region of. When the term “about” is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term “about” is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by a variance of 20 percent up or down (higher or lower).
In the embodiment shown in
The safety device 2 further includes a mounting rod 6 configured to be insertable into an aperture of at least about 1.25 inch in diameter, e.g., an aperture 82 available in a knuckle 86 disposed at any end of a railcar. The safety device 2 further includes a visual output device, e.g., a lamp 8 configured for supplying light at a brightness of at least about 5900 lumens and a strobe light 10 configured for supplying light of an intensity of about 100-1000 candela. For convenience and safety, each visual output device 8, 10 is configured to be remotely controllable by a controller 52 with a remote controller. In one embodiment, even if a user has forgotten to turn on the safety device 2 upon mounting it to the end of a train, it can be safely and expediently turned on from afar, within the remote controller's influence, e.g., about 600 ft. This way, the user is less likely to be distracted and focus on the work at hand around the time the safety device is being turned on. The safety device 2 further includes an audio output device. In one embodiment, the safety device further includes a bell 20 configured for supplying sound of at least about 97 decibels. The safety device 2 further includes a horn 22 configured for supplying sound of at least about 113 decibels. Each of the audio output devices 20, 22 is configured to be remotely controllable by a controller 34. The safety device 2 includes a master on or off switch 26 and a pushbutton 28 configured to toggle through strobe light colors. The safety device 2 further includes a controller 52 functionally connected to other devices disposed within the safety device. The controller 52 further includes a communication module 50 configured for communication with the remote controller via, e.g., radio communication. The pneumatic valve 16 is configured to be remotely controllable by the controller 52. During normal operation, all control functions are accessible externally and the enclosure 72 of the safety device 2 need not be opened for this access.
The safety device 2 further includes a handheld remote controller 34 configured to control the pneumatic valve 16 to open or close. The safety device 2 further includes a pressure gauge 18 configured to be functionally connected to the pneumatic conductor 12 to sense the pressure of the air brake system. Referring to
The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments in which the present disclosed embodiments may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice aspects of the present invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The various embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. The detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, with the full scope of equivalents to which they may be entitled. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description. The scope of the present disclosed embodiments includes any other applications in which embodiments of the above structures and fabrication methods are used. The scope of the embodiments should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
