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US 11,975,747 B2Granted
Bridge crane apparatus for opening and closing railcar lids
AssigneeRayHawk Technologies Inc.
InventorsBenjamin Gibb, Thomas Boehm, John Srayko
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bridge-supported tool for opening and closing lids located on top of railcars. The bridge has two sides and a cross member between the sides that moves along the sides, the cross member supports a tool carriage that moves along the cross member, the tool carriage has a tool engagement interface for retaining a selected tool and the interface is vertically moveable, such that the tool is moveable to any selected location in the space defined by the bridge. A controller can be used to direct the positioning of the tool by controlling the movements of the cross member, tool carriage and tool engagement interface.
Claims78
A system for operating a lid of a railcar, the railcar positioned on rail tracks for movement therealong, the system comprising:
- a bridge frame comprising two parallel spaced-apart side members, the side members parallel to the rail tracks and laterally spaced from the lid, the bridge frame sized and configured to receive the railcar beneath and between the side members;
- a cross member between and engaging the side members and perpendicular to the side members and selectively moveable therealong in a direction parallel to the side members, the cross member configured for movement with the railcar as the railcar moves along the rail tracks, such that the cross member is moveable over any part of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks under the bridge frame;
- a tool carriage engaging the cross member and selectively moveable therealong in a direction perpendicular to the side members, the tool carriage comprising a rigid and selectively vertically moveable shaft comprising a tool engagement interface, the shaft comprising a rack configured for operable engagement with a gear on the tool carriage to vertically move the shaft and the tool engagement interface;
- and
- a tool configured for receipt and rigid retention by the tool engagement interface, the tool configured to engage and operate the lid of the railcar;
- such that the tool can be selectively positioned in any of a plurality of locations relative to the lid of the railcar by movement of one or more of the cross member, the tool carriage, the shaft and the tool engagement interface, and the tool thereby moveable with the lid for the operating of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks under the bridge frame.
3 more elements
A system for opening and closing a lid of a railcar, the railcar positioned on rail tracks for movement therealong, the system comprising:
- first and second bridge frames in parallel spaced-apart alignment, each of the first and second bridge frames comprising:
- two parallel spaced-apart side members, the side members parallel to the rail tracks and laterally spaced from the lid, the bridge frame sized and configured to receive the railcar beneath and between the side members;
- a cross member between and engaging the side members and perpendicular to the side members and selectively moveable therealong in a direction parallel to the side members, the cross member configured for movement with the railcar as the railcar moves along the rail tracks, such that the cross member is moveable over any part of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks under the bridge frame;
- a tool carriage engaging the cross member and selectively moveable therealong in a direction perpendicular to the side members, the tool carriage comprising a rigid and selectively vertically moveable shaft comprising a tool engagement interface, the shaft comprising a rack configured for operable engagement with a gear on the tool carriage to vertically move the shaft and the tool engagement interface;
- and
- a tool configured for receipt and rigid retention by the tool engagement interface, the tool configured to engage and operate the lid of the railcar, such that the tool can be selectively positioned in any of a plurality of locations relative to the lid of the railcar by movement of one or more of the cross member, the tool carriage, the shaft and the tool engagement interface, and the tool thereby moveable with the lid for the operating of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks under the bridge frame;
- the tool on the first bridge frame configured for opening the lid;
- and
- the tool on the second bridge frame configured for closing the lid.
6 more elements
A method for operating a lid of a railcar, the railcar positioned on rail tracks for movement therealong, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a bridge frame comprising side members parallel to the rail tracks and laterally spaced from the lid, a cross member between and engaging the side members and perpendicular to the side members and moveable therealong such that the cross member is moveable with the railcar and thus moveable over any part of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks under the bridge frame, a tool carriage engaging the cross member and moveable therealong, the tool carriage comprising a rigid and vertically moveable shaft comprising a tool engagement interface rigidly retaining a tool configured to engage and operate the lid of the railcar, the shaft comprising a rack configured for operable engagement with a gear on the tool carriage to vertically move the shaft and the tool engagement interface, such that the tool can be positioned in any of a plurality of locations relative to the lid of the railcar by movement of one or more of the cross member, the tool carriage, and the tool engagement interface, the shaft and the tool thereby moveable with the lid for the operating of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks under the bridge frame;
- b. moving the railcar between the side members;
- c. by moving the cross member, the tool carriage and the tool engagement interface, locating the tool adjacent the lid;
- and
- d. manipulating the tool to engage the lid to operate the lid.
2 more elements
A system for operating a lid of a railcar, the railcar positioned on rail tracks for movement therealong, the system comprising:
- at least one support member, the at least one support member parallel to the rail tracks;
- a cross member engaging the at least one support member and perpendicular thereto and selectively moveable therealong in a direction parallel to the at least one support member, the cross member configured for movement with the railcar as the railcar moves along the rail tracks, such that the cross member is moveable over any part of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks;
- and
- a tool carriage engaging the cross member and selectively moveable therealong in a direction perpendicular to the at least one support member, the tool carriage rigidly supporting a vertically moveable shaft comprising a tool configured to engage and operate the lid of the railcar, the shaft comprising a rack configured for operable engagement with a gear on the tool carriage to vertically move the shaft and the tool;
- such that the tool can be selectively positioned in any of a plurality of locations relative to the lid of the railcar by movement of the cross member and/or the tool carriage, and the shaft and the tool thereby moveable with the lid for the operating of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks.
2 more elements
A system for operating a lid of a railcar, the railcar positioned on rail tracks for movement therealong, the system comprising:
- a bridge frame comprising two parallel spaced-apart side members;
- a cross member between and engaging the side members and selectively moveable therealong the cross member configured for movement with the railcar as the railcar moves along the rail tracks;
- a tool carriage engaging the cross member and selectively moveable therealong, the tool carriage comprising a shaft, the shaft comprising a rack configured for operable engagement with a gear on the tool carriage to vertically move the shaft;
- and
- a tool configured for receipt and retention by the shaft, the tool configured to engage and operate the lid of the railcar;
- such that the tool can be selectively positioned in any of a plurality of locations relative to the lid of the railcar by movement of one or more of the cross member, the tool carriage and the shaft, and the tool thereby moveable with the lid for the operating of the lid as the railcar moves along the rail tracks under the bridge frame.
3 more elements
A method for positioning a tool to manipulate a lid of a railcar as the railcar moves along rail tracks, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. determining a location of the lid and defining a manipulation point on the lid using a coordinate system, the coordinate system comprising a horizontal axis, a lateral axis, and a vertical axis, such that the manipulation point is defined collectively by a point on the horizontal axis, a point on the lateral axis, and a point on the vertical axis;
- b. providing a cross member configured for movement with and above the railcar along the rail tracks in a direction of travel parallel the horizontal axis, a tool carriage configured for movement along the cross member in a direction parallel the lateral axis, and a vertically moveable shaft operably connected to and configured for movement relative to the tool carriage in a direction parallel the vertical axis, the tool mounted on the vertically moveable shaft;
- c. by means of the cross member, positioning the tool at the point on the horizontal axis;
- d. by means of the tool carriage, positioning the tool at the point on the lateral axis;
- e. by means of the vertically moveable shaft, positioning the tool at the point on the vertical axis;
- and
- f. manipulating the lid of the railcar using the tool as positioned.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.