# US 2022/0032779 A1 · Dual mode collector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0032779 A1 - Document ID: US20220032779A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/501,631 - Filed: 2021-10-14 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-28 - Assignees: Transtech of South Carolina - Applicants: TransTech of South Carolina, Inc. - Inventors: Travis McMahan; William Golpe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220032779A1 ## CPC - B60L 5/39: from third rail - B60L 2200/26: Rail vehicles - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES ## Abstract A dual mode current collector includes a mounting frame having a pivot shaft extending along a pivot axis. A first current collector includes a housing pivotally connected to the pivot shaft, a shoe arm connected to the housing, and a shoe attached to the shoe arm. The shoe has a conductor surface configured to engage a rail. A second current collector includes a housing pivotally connected to the pivot shaft, a shoe arm connected to the housing, and a shoe attached to the shoe arm. The shoe has a conductor surface configured to engage a rail. A first actuator connected to the mounting frame and the first current collector is configured to rotate the first current collector about the pivot axis. A second actuator connected to the mounting frame and the second current collector is configured to rotate the second current collector about the pivot axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dual mode current collector, comprising: a first current collector, comprising: a first housing configured to be connected with a vehicle; a first shoe arm connected to the first housing; and a first shoe attached to the first shoe arm, the first shoe having a first conductor surface configured to engage a top side of a first conductive body; and a second current collector, comprising: a second housing configured to be connected with the vehicle; a second shoe arm connected to the second housing; and a second shoe attached to the second shoe arm, the second shoe having a second conductor surface configured to engage an underside of a second conductive body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dual mode current collector of claim 1, wherein each of the first housing and the second housing is configured to be pivotally connected to the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dual mode current collector of claim 1, further comprising: a first actuator configured to be connected to the vehicle and to the first current collector, the first actuator configured to rotate the first current collector; and a second actuator configured to be connected to the vehicle and to the second current collector, the second actuator configured to rotate the second current collector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dual mode current collector of claim 1, wherein the first current collector is configured to rotate independent of rotation of the second current collector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dual mode current collector of claim 1, wherein the first conductor surface of the first shoe is a first lower conductor surface and the second conductor surface of the second shoe is a first upper conductor surface, the first shoe also having a second lower conductor surface, the second shoe also having a second upper conductor surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dual mode current collector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator comprises an extendible rod. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The dual mode current collector of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator comprises a rod lock configured to engage the extendible rod to limit extension and retraction of the extendible rod. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The dual mode current collector of claim 7, further comprising: a dump valve having an inlet port in fluid communication with an air source; an outlet port in fluid communication with the rod lock; an exhaust port in fluid communication with atmospheric pressure; a solenoid configured to switch the dump valve between a first state in which the inlet port is in fluid communication with the outlet port and a second state in which the outlet port is in fluid communication with the exhaust port; and a pressure switch configured to detect air pressure received at the inlet port and, based on the air pressure that is detected, actuate the solenoid to switch the dump valve between the first state and the second state, wherein the rod lock is configured to engage the rod while the rod lock dump valve is in the second state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The dual mode current collector of claim 8, wherein the inlet port is a first inlet port, the outlet port is a first outlet port, the solenoid is a first solenoid valve, and further comprising: a control valve having a second inlet port in fluid communication with the air source; a third inlet port in fluid communication with a reservoir; a second outlet port in fluid communication with the first inlet port of the dump valve; and a second solenoid configured to switch the control valve between a third state in which the first inlet port is in fluid communication with the second outlet port and a fourth state in which the third inlet port is in fluid communication with the second outlet port. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The dual mode current collector of claim 7, further comprising: a shuttle valve having an inlet port configured to be in fluid communication with an air source; an outlet port in fluid communication with the rod lock; an exhaust port in fluid communication with atmospheric pressure; and a sliding element moveable between a first position and a second position based on air pressure received at the inlet port; wherein the inlet port is in fluid communication with the outlet port and the exhaust port is isolated while the sliding element is in the first position, wherein the outlet port is in fluid communication with the exhaust port and the inlet port is isolated while the sliding element is in the second position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The dual mode current collector of claim 10, wherein the rod lock is configured to engage the rod while the sliding element is in the second position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dual mode current collector of claim 11, wherein the inlet port is a first inlet port, the outlet port is a first outlet port, and further comprising: a control valve having a second inlet port in fluid communication with an air source, a third inlet port in fluid communication with a reservoir, a second outlet port in fluid communication with the first inlet port, and a solenoid configured to switch the control valve between a first state in which the second inlet port is in fluid communication with the second outlet port and a second state in which the third inlet port is in fluid communication with the second outlet port. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The dual mode current collector of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator is configured to extend the extendible rod to raise the first current collector away from the first conductive body, the at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator configured to retract the extendible rod to lower the first current collector toward the first conductive body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The dual mode current collector of claim 1, wherein the first current collector further comprises: a torsion element connecting the first shoe arm to the first housing, the torsion element configured to permit radial deflection of the first shoe arm relative to the first housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The dual mode current collector of claim 14, wherein the torsion element has a polygonal outer surface is disposed in a polygonal bore of the first shoe arm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The dual mode current collector of claim 14, wherein the torsion element is connected to the first housing via an arm shaft rotationally fixable relative to the first housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The dual mode current collector of claim 16, wherein the arm shaft is vertically adjustable within a slot defined in the first housing. ### Claim 18 A dual mode current collector, comprising: a plurality of current collectors, each of the current collectors comprising: a housing connected to the mounting frame; a shoe arm connected to the housing; and a shoe attached to the shoe arm, the shoe having at least one conductor surface configured to engage one or more of a first conductive body or a second conductive body, wherein the shoe of a first current collector of the plurality of current collectors is configured to engage a top side of the first conductive body, and wherein the shoe of a second current collector of the plurality of current collectors is configured to engage an underside of the second conductive body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The dual mode current collector of claim 18, wherein each of the current collectors is configured to rotate relative to the mounting frame independently of others of the current collectors. ### Claim 20 A dual mode current collector comprising: a first current collector that includes a first housing, a first shoe arm connected to the first housing, and a first shoe attached to the first shoe arm, the first shoe having a first conductor surface configured to engage a top side of a first conductive body; and a second current collector that includes a second housing, a second shoe arm connected to the second housing, and a second shoe attached to the second shoe arm, the second shoe having a second conductor surface configured to engage an underside of a second conductive body.