Highway grade crossing gate system including a gate mechanism to rotate a gate arm with human machine interface and voltage reduction circuit

A method of providing a highway grade crossing gate mechanism, the method comprising:

• providing a gate arm configured to rotate 90 degrees from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa;
• providing a gear train coupled to a main shaft;
• providing a DC motor coupled to the gear train;
• providing a brake coupled to the DC motor;
• providing a voltage reduction circuit to receive an input voltage from a battery and reduce the input voltage;
• providing a human machine interface (HMI) to receive a plurality of programmable set points as operational variables for at least one of a power down indication, a power up indication, a brake application, a flashing lights turn on or turn off angle, a bell turn off or turn on angle, and angle information for a gate down position;
• and
• providing a control printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to the HMI, the voltage reduction circuit, the brake, and the DC motor, the control PCB to receive an output based on an angular position of the gate arm as a position indication to have the control PCB provide an output to the flashing lights, the bell and provide a plurality of angle outputs,
• wherein the control PCB is controlled by a gate controller coupled to the control PCB such that the highway grade crossing gate mechanism is operable without manually adjustable cams on the main shaft that move contacts to open or close at some preset angular rotation,
• wherein the control PCB is configured to control an upward movement cycle of the highway grade crossing gate mechanism when a voltage signal is received from the gate controller and to control a downward movement cycle of the highway grade crossing gate mechanism when the voltage signal is removed,
• wherein the gate arm is moved up to a vertical position during the upward movement cycle and the gate arm is moved down to a horizontal position during the downward movement cycle, and
• wherein during the upward and downward movement cycles the control PCB is configured to control the brake, the DC motor, and the output of the flashing lights and the bell based on the position indication and the operational variables.