US 5,676,337 A · Railway car retarder system · patentgrep

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Abstract

A railway car retarder mechanism that employs linear electromagnetic induction to precisely accelerate or decelerate a railcar. The retarder mechanism includes a plurality of linear induction stators having a spaced plurality of primary inductors, a controllable power source electrically connected with selected ones of the primary inductors, a controller for controlling the electric current transmitted to the respective primary inductors by the controllable power source, and a sensor for sensing selected railcar parameters and transmitting those parameters to the controller, so that the speed-corrective forces applied by the retarder are proportional to these parameters. The controller regulates the magnetomotive force which is imparted upon a selected one of a plurality of railcar wheel sets, and is connected with each controllable power source. In some embodiments, the sensor include at least a portion of fiber-optic cable, which cable can be disposed proximate to a predetermined length of track rail.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A railway car retarder system for controlling railcar speed, said system comprising:

(a) a plurality of linear induction stators each having a plurality of primary inductors, each of said plurality of linear induction stators having respective ones of said plurality of primary inductors magnetically linked to respective others of said plurality of primary inductors, respective pairs of said plurality of primary inductors having at least a portion of track rail disposed therebetween, said respective pairs imparting a magnetomotive force upon selected ones of a plurality of wheel sets, and at least three of said spaced plurality of primary inductors being disposed on at least one side of said track rail;
(b) a controllable power source electrically connected with, and providing electric current to, said plurality of linear induction stators, and said controllable power source being supplied electric current by a three-phase AC power supply;
(c) a controller, connected with said controllable power source, for selectively controlling said electric current to respective linear induction stators thereby controlling said magnetomotive force being imparted upon said selected ones of such plurality of wheel sets;
and
(d) a sensor for sensing selected railcar parameters and transmitting said parameters to said controller, and said sensor being operably connected with said controller.

2 more elements

A railway car retarder system for controlling railcar speed, said system comprising:

(a) a first plurality of linear induction stators each having a spaced plurality of primary inductors, each of said first plurality of linear induction stators having respective ones of said plurality of primary inductors being magnetically linked to respective others of said plurality of primary inductors, respective pairs of said plurality of primary inductors having at least a portion of track rail disposed therebetween, and said respective pairs imparting a magnetomotive force upon selected ones of a plurality of wheel sets;
(b) a plurality of controllable power sources each electrically connected with, and providing electric current to, a second plurality of linear induction stators;
(c) a controller, connected with said plurality of controllable power sources, for selectively controlling said electric current to respective ones of said plurality of linear induction stators, thereby controlling said magnetomotive force being imparted upon said selected ones of such plurality of wheel sets;
and
(d) a sensor for sensing selected railcar parameters and transmitting said parameters to said controller, and said sensor being operably connected with said controller.

2 more elements

A railway car retarder system for controlling railcar speed, said system comprising:

(a) a plurality of linear induction stators each having a spaced plurality of primary inductors, each of said plurality of linear induction stators having respective ones of said plurality of primary inductors being magnetically linked to respective others of said plurality of primary inductors, respective pairs of said plurality of primary inductors having at least a portion of track rail disposed therebetween, and said respective pairs imparting a magnetomotive force upon selected ones of a plurality of wheel sets;
(b) a plurality of controllable power sources each electrically connected with, and providing electric current to, a respective one of said plurality of linear induction stators;
(c) a controller, connected with said plurality of controllable power sources, for selectively controlling said electric current to respective linear induction stators, thereby controlling said magnetomotive force being imparted upon said selected ones of such plurality of wheel sets;
and
(d) a sensor for sensing selected railcar parameters and transmitting said parameters to said controller, and said sensor being operably connected with said controller.

2 more elements

A railway car retarder system for controlling railcar speed, said system comprising:

(a) a linear induction stator having a spaced plurality of primary inductors, respective pairs of said plurality of primary inductors having at least a portion of track rail disposed therebetween, said respective pairs imparting a magnetomotive force upon selected ones of a plurality of wheel sets, said respective ones of said plurality of primary inductors being magnetically linked to said respective others of said plurality of primary inductors by at least a portion of magnetically permeable substrate, said at least a portion of track rail being disposed generally above said plurality of inductors and said substrate, said at least a portion of track rail being magnetically linked to at least a portion of said substrate, said at least a portion of track rail having a plurality of magnetic track sections and a plurality of non-magnetic track sections, first respective ones of said plurality of non-magnetic track sections being interposed between first respective ones of said plurality of magnetic sections, second respective ones of said non-magnetic track sections being disposed generally above second respective ones of said plurality of primary inductors, second respective ones of said magnetic track sections being disposed generally above at least a portion of said substrate, and respective pole faces of said plurality of primary inductors being generally coplanar with the diameter of one wheel of said plurality of wheel sets and colinear with said at least a portion of track rail;
(b) a controllable power source electrically connected with, and providing electric current to, said linear induction stator;
(c) a controller, connected to said controllable power source, for selectively controlling said electric current to said primary inductors, thereby controlling said magnetomotive force being imparted upon said selected ones of such plurality of wheel sets;
and
(d) a sensor for sensing selected railcar parameters and transmitting said parameters to said controller, and said sensor being operably connected with said controller.

2 more elements

A railway car retarder system for controlling railcar speed, said system comprising:

(a) a linear induction stator having a spaced plurality of primary inductors, respective ones of said plurality of primary inductors being magnetically linked to respective others of said plurality of primary inductors, respective pairs of said plurality of primary inductors having at least a portion of track rail disposed therebetween, said respective pairs imparting a magnetomotive force upon selected ones of a plurality of wheel sets, pole faces of said plurality of primary inductors are generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said at least a portion of track rail, each of said pole faces is in confronting relation with said at least a portion of track rail, said at least a portion of track rail is generally disposed between respective ones of said pole faces, and at least three of said spaced plurality of primary inductors being disposed on at least one lateral side of a wheel;
(b) a controllable power source electrically connected with, and providing electric current to, said linear induction stator, and said controllable power source being supplied electric current by a three-phase AC power supply;
(c) a controller, connected with said controllable power source, for selectively controlling said electric current to said primary inductors, thereby controlling said magnetomotive force being imparted upon said selected ones of such plurality of wheel sets;
and
(d) a sensor for sensing selected railcar parameters and transmitting said parameters to said controller, and said sensor being operably connected with said controller.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.