Railcar unloading system

A method for unloading a railcar having a rotatable capstan for opening a discharge opening to discharge material from the railcar, the method including the steps of:

• generating a three-dimensional model of the railcar using a first camera and a first laser as the railcar moves past the first camera and the first laser;
• locating the capstan using the three-dimensional model;
• controlling movement of an actuation device toward the capstan using a second camera and a second laser mounted to the actuation device;
• and rotating the capstan using the actuation device to open the discharge opening.

A system for unloading a railcar having a door that is movable by a capstan between a closed position and an opened position wherein material in the railcar is discharge through a discharge opening, the system including:

• a fixed imaging system including
• a first camera configured to obtain a first plurality of images of the railcar at predetermined intervals as the railcar moves past the first camera, and
• a first laser configured to obtain a first plurality of measurements of distances to features of the railcar at predetermined intervals as the railcar moves past the first laser,
• wherein the fixed imaging system generates a model of the railcar from the images and the measurements, identifies the capstan from the model, and tracks movement of the capstan away from the first camera by performing an absolute value difference calculation between adjacent images of the first plurality of images;
• and
• an actuation device including
• a frame mounted for movement substantially parallel to movement of the railcar along a rail,
• a power gate opener mounted to the frame,
• a second camera mounted to the frame and configured to obtain a second plurality of images of the railcar as the actuation device moves along the rail,
• a second laser mounted to the frame and configured to obtain a second plurality of measurements of distances to features of the railcar as the actuation device moves along the rail, and
• a computing device in communication with the fixed imaging system, the computing device being configured to
• control movement of the actuation device relative to the railcar by performing absolute value difference calculations between adjacent images of the second plurality of images and comparing a computed position of the actuation device to a position of the capstan as indicated by the model, and
• control movement of the power gate opener into engagement with the capstan to move the door into the opened position and discharge the material.

A system for unloading a railcar having a door that is movable between a closed position and an opened position wherein material in the railcar is discharged through a discharge opening, the door being movable by an actuation shaft having a capstan with an engagement surface, the system including:

• an imaging system including a first camera and a first laser, the first camera obtaining first images of portions of the railcar and the first laser scanning portions of the railcar to obtain a first plurality of distance measurements, the imaging system being configured to
• identify the engagement surface of the capstan based on the first plurality of distance measurements,
• perform an image analysis of a plurality of the first images generated at predetermined intervals as the railcar moves past the imaging system to determine motion parameters of the railcar, the image analysis including an absolute value difference calculation between adjacent first images, and
• generate a model of the railcar using the motion parameters to determine the position of the capstan relative to the railcar when the capstan was identified,
• an actuation device including a frame mounted for movement along a rail, an encoder generating movement data of the actuation device along the rail, a power gate opener movably mounted to the frame and having a drive surface for engaging the capstan engagement surface, and a second laser scanning portions of the railcar to obtain a second plurality of distance measurements, and
• a computing device configured to
• receive information from the model and movement information from the encoder and use the information and the movement information to control movement of the actuation device along the rail toward the capstan,
• identify the capstan after the railcar stops moving by comparing the second plurality of distance measurements to known features of the capstan,
• control movement the drive surface of the power gate opener into engagement with the capstan engagement surface, and
• control the drive surface to rotate the capstan, thereby moving the door to the opened position to discharge material through the discharge opening of the gate assembly.

A car door opener for unloading a railcar having a door that is movable between a closed position and an opened position wherein material in the railcar is discharged through a discharge opening, the door being movable by an actuation shaft having a capstan with an engagement surface, the car door opener including:

• a frame mounted for movement along a rail,
• an encoder generating movement data of the actuation device along the rail,
• a power gate opener movably mounted to the frame and having a drive surface for engaging the capstan engagement surface,
• a camera obtaining images of portions of the railcar;
• a laser scanning portions of the railcar to obtain a plurality of distance measurements,
• and a computing device configured to
• perform an image analysis of a plurality of the images generated at predetermined intervals to generate motion information about the railcar, the image analysis including an absolute value difference calculation between adjacent first images,
• use the motion information to control movement of the car door opener along the rail, identify the capstan by comparing the plurality of distance measurements to known features of the capstan,
• control movement the drive surface of the power gate opener into engagement with the capstan engagement surface, and
• control the drive surface to rotate the capstan, thereby moving the door to the opened position to discharge material through the discharge opening of the gate assembly.