IP Library Granted Patent US 10,533,288
Granted Patent B2
US 10,533,288 · App. 15/883,657 · Granted Jan 14, 2020

Railroad track wire connection and corresponding railroad installation

Inventors: James Frisbie (Melbourne, FL); Tony Spagnolia (Melbourne Beach, FL)
Assignee: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
E01B11/00B60M5/00B61L1/181B61L7/08E01B29/32
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,533,288
App. No.
15/883,657
Granted
Jan 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The railroad track wire connection is configured for electrically connecting a first element of a railroad installation to a second element of the railroad installation, the first element and the second element being electrically conductive, at least one of the first element and the second element being a rail of a line of rails of a railroad track of the railroad installation. The railroad track wire connection comprises at least one first element wire having a proximal end for connection to the first element and a distal end, a first element connector provided at the distal end of each first element wire, the first element connector being configured for electrical connection with the second element directly or via a mating second element connector, wherein the first element connector comprises a magnetic element for generating a magnetic force with the second element for fixing the first element connector to the second element in a removable manner or with a magnetic element of the second element connector for fixing the first element connector to the second element connector in a removable manner.

Claims (23)

1. Railroad track wire connection configured for electrically connecting a first element of a railroad installation to a second element of the railroad installation, the first element and the second element being electrically conductive, at least one of the first element and the second element being a rail of a line of rails of a railroad track of the railroad installation, the railroad track wire connection comprising at least one first element wire having a proximal end for connection to the first element and a distal end, a first element connector provided at the distal end of each first element wire, the first element connector being configured for electrical connection with the second element directly or via a mating second element connector, wherein the first element connector comprises a magnetic element for generating a magnetic force with the second element for fixing the first element connector to the second element in a removable manner or with a magnetic element of the second element connector for fixing the first element connector to the second element connector in a removable manner,

wherein the first element is a rail of a line of rails of a railroad track of the railroad installation, and the second element is an electrical conductor housed in an electrical bungalow installed along the railroad track.

2. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , wherein the first element and the second element are respectively a first rail and a second rail mutually fixed end-to-end in a line of rails of a railroad track of the railroad installation.

3. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , comprising a second element wire associated to each first element wire, each second element wire having a proximal end configured for secure fixing and electrical connection to the second element and a distal end connected to the second element connector.

4. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 3 , wherein the first element wire and the associated second element wire have substantially the same length.

5. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 3 , wherein one of the first element wire and the associated second element wire is strictly longer than the other.

6. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , wherein the second element connector is configured for being securely fixed to the second element.

7. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element of the first element connector is a permanent magnet.

8. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element of the first element connector is ferromagnetic, the railroad track wire connection comprising the second element connector having a magnetic element which is a permanent magnet.

9. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , wherein the first element connector is configured to generate with the second element or the second element connector a pull force comprised between 40 and 150 N.

10. Railroad installation comprising at least one railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 .

11. Railroad track wire connection configured for electrically connecting a first element of a railroad installation to a second element of the railroad installation, the first element and the second element being electrically conductive, at least one of the first element and the second element being a rail of a line of rails of a railroad track of the railroad installation, the railroad track wire connection comprising at least one first element wire having a proximal end for connection to the first element and a distal end, a first element connector provided at the distal end of each first element wire, the first element connector being configured for electrical connection with the second element via a mating second element connector securely attached to the second element, wherein the first element connector comprises a magnetic element for generating a magnetic force with a magnetic element of the second element connector for fixing the first element connector to the second element connector in a removable manner.

12. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 11 , wherein the first element and the second element are respectively a first rail and a second rail mutually fixed end-to-end in a line of rails of a railroad track of the railroad installation.

13. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 wherein the first element is a rail of a line of rails of a railroad track of the railroad installation, and the second element is an electrical conductor housed in an electrical bungalow installed along the railroad track.

14. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , comprising a second element wire associated to each first element wire, each second element wire having a proximal end configured for secure fixing and electrical connection to the second element and a distal end connected to the second element connector.

15. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 3 , wherein the first element wire and the associated second element wire have substantially the same length.

16. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 3 , wherein one of the first element wire and the associated second element wire is strictly longer than the other.

17. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element of the first element connector is a permanent magnet.

18. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element of the first element connector is ferromagnetic, the railroad track wire connection comprising the second element connector having a magnetic element which is a permanent magnet.

19. Railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 , wherein the first element connector is configured to generate with the second element or the second element connector a pull force comprised between 40 and 150 N.

20. Railroad installation comprising at least one railroad track wire connection according to claim 1 .

21. Railroad track wire connection configured for electrically connecting a first element of a railroad installation to a second element of the railroad installation, the first element and the second element being electrically conductive, at least one of the first element and the second element being a rail of a line of rails of a railroad track of the railroad installation, the railroad track wire connection comprising at least one first element wire having a proximal end for connection to the first element and a distal end, a first element connector provided at the distal end of each first element wire, the first element connector being configured for electrical connection with the second element directly or via a mating second element connector, wherein the first element connector comprises a magnetic element for generating a magnetic force with the second element for fixing the first element connector to the second element in a removable manner or with a magnetic element of the second element connector for fixing the first element connector to the second element connector in a removable manner,

wherein the railroad track wire connection further comprises a second element wire associated to each first element wire, each second element wire having a proximal end configured for secure fixing and electrical connection to the second element and a distal end connected to the second element connector.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2025
From: ALSTOM HOLDINGS SA
To: ALSTOM SIGNALING INC.
Reel/Frame 069848/0607 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 8, 2025
From: ALSTOM SIGNALING INC.
To: KB SIGNALING INC.
Reel/Frame 069848/0902 →
DISSOLUTION AND TRANSFER OF ASSETS Recorded Sep 3, 2024
From: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
To: ALSTOM HOLDINGS
Reel/Frame 068823/0899 →
COMBINED DECLARATION AND ASSIGNMENT Recorded Apr 23, 2018
From: FRISBIE, JAMES; SPAGNOLIA, TONY
To: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
Reel/Frame 045995/0928 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190234024A1 · Aug 1, 2019