Apparatus and method for automatically servicing journal boxes of railroad cars

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of terminating the synchronizing process if the speed of the car is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of terminating the synchronizing process if the time required for the journal box to travel the first distance is greater than a predetermined time.

Claim 9

The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of comparing said increasing timing signal to a second reference signal having a magnitude which, at the rate of increase of said timing signal, represents a predetermined maximum normal time required for said journal box to travel from said first poiNt to said second point, and terminating said timing signal when said increasing timing signal is equal to said second reference signal.

Claim 10

The method of claim 5 wherein said timing signal is a ramp signal.

Claim 11

Apparatus for synchronizing the operation of a journal box servicing device having a known response time to an actuating signal with the arrival alongside the device of a journal box on a railroad car moving at unknown speed comprising: first sensing means for producing a first signal indicating the presence of said journal box at a first point on said track spaced from said servicing device in a direction opposite the direction of movement of said railroad car, second sensing means for producing a second signal indicating the presence of said journal box at a second point on said track between said first point and said servicing device, the distance from said first point to said second point being in known ratio to the distance between said second point and said servicing device, first means actuated by said first signal for measuring the transit time of said journal box from said first point to said second point, whereby the transit time of said journal box between said second point and said servicing device is known, second means actuated by said second signal for measuring the time said journal box is in transit from said second point toward said servicing device to determine the time required for said journal box to reach said device, and means for producing an actuating signal to said servicing device when the time required for said journal box to reach said device is equal to the response time of said device.

Claim 12

Apparatus for synchronizing the operation of a journal box servicing device having a known response time to an actuating signal with the arrival alongside the device of a journal box on a railroad car moving at unknown speed comprising: first sensing means for producing a first signal indicating the presence of said journal box at a first point on said track spaced from said servicing device in a direction opposite the direction of movement of said railroad car, second sensing means for producing a second signal indicating the presence of said journal box at a second point on said track between said first point and said servicing device, the distance from said first point to said second point being in known ratio to the distance between said second point and said servicing device, first means actuated by said first signal for measuring the transit time of said journal box from said first point to said second point, whereby the transit time of said journal box between said second point and said servicing device is known, second means actuated by said second signal for measuring the time said journal box is in transit from said second point toward said servicing device to determine the time required for said journal box to reach said device, and means for producing an actuating signal to said servicing device when the time required for said journal box to reach said device is equal to the response time of said device.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first time measuring means and said second time measuring means comprises a signal generator for producing a timing signal that increases at a known rate in response to said first signal and decreases in response to said second signal at a rate bearing the same ratio to the rate of increase as the ratio of the distance between said first point and said second point to the distance between said second point and said servicing device.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for producing an actuating signal to the servicing device when the time required for the journal box to reach the device is equal to the response time of the device comprises a reference signal having a magnitude which, at the rate of decrease of said timing signal, is indicative of the response time of said device, and a comparator for comparing said decreasing timing signal to said reference signal to produce an actuating signal to said device when said decreasing timing signal is equal to said reference signal.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means for terminating the operation of said first measuring means if the transit time of said journal box between said first and second points exceeds a predetermined time.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first time measuring means and said second time measuring means comprises a signal generator for producing a timing signal that increases at a known rate in response to said first signal and decreases in response to said second signal at a rate bearing the same ratio to the rate of increase as the ratio of the distance between said first point and said second point to the distance between said second point and said servicing device, and said means for terminating the operation of said first measuring means if the transit time of said journal box between said first and second points exceeds a predetermined time comprises a reference signal having a magnitude which, at the rate of increase of said timing signal, is indicative of said predetermined time, and a comparator for comparing said increasing timing signal to said reference signal to produce a reset signal to said signal generator when said increasing timing signal exceeds said reference signal.

Claim 17

Apparatus for automatically servicing a journal box on a railroad car moviNg along a track at unknown speed comprising: a journal box servicing device positioned alongside said track for servicing said journal box in response to an actuating signal, said device having a known response time to said actuating signal, first sensing means for producing a first signal indicating the presence of said journal box at a first point, second sensing means for producing a second signal indicating the presence of said journal box at a second point, the distance between said first point and said second point being in known ratio to the distance between said second point and said servicing device, means for generating a ramp signal that increases in response to said first signal and decreases in response to said second signal, the ratio of the slope of said decreasing ramp signal to the slope of said increasing ramp signal being the same as the ratio of the distance between said first point and said second point to the distance between said second point and said servicing device, a first reference signal having a magnitude which, at the slope of said decreasing ramp signal, is indicative of the response time of said device, and means for comparing said decreasing ramp signal to said first reference signal to produce an actuating signal to said device when said decreasing ramp signal is equal to said first reference signal.

Claim 18

Apparatus for automatically servicing a journal box on a railroad car moviNg along a track at unknown speed comprising: a journal box servicing device positioned alongside said track for servicing said journal box in response to an actuating signal, said device having a known response time to said actuating signal, first sensing means for producing a first signal indicating the presence of said journal box at a first point, second sensing means for producing a second signal indicating the presence of said journal box at a second point, the distance between said first point and said second point being in known ratio to the distance between said second point and said servicing device, means for generating a ramp signal that increases in response to said first signal and decreases in response to said second signal, the ratio of the slope of said decreasing ramp signal to the slope of said increasing ramp signal being the same as the ratio of the distance between said first point and said second point to the distance between said second point and said servicing device, a first reference signal having a magnitude which, at the slope of said decreasing ramp signal, is indicative of the response time of said device, and means for comparing said decreasing ramp signal to said first reference signal to produce an actuating signal to said device when said decreasing ramp signal is equal to said first reference signal.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a second reference signal having a magnitude which, at the slope of said increasing ramp signal, represents a predetermined maximum normal time for said journal box to travel from said first point to said second point, means for comparing said increasing ramp signal to said second reference signal to produce a reset signal when said increasing ramp signal is equal to said second reference signal, and means responsive to said reset signal for resetting said first sensing means and said ramp signal generating means.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said means for generating said ramp signal comprises an integrator, a first DC signal coupled to the input of said integrator, means responsive to said first signal from said first sensing means for causing said integrator to integrate said first DC signal, a second DC signal of opposite polarity to said first DC signal, the ratio of the magnitude of said second DC signal to the magnitude of said first DC signal being the same as the ratio of the distance between said first point and said second point to the distance between said second point and said servicing device; and means responsive to said second signal from said second sensing means for switching the input of said integrator from said first DC signal to said second DC signal.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising means responsive to said actuating signal for resetting said first and second sensing means and said ramp signal generator.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said second sensing means is located midway between said first sensing means and said servicing device.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first and second sensing means are proximity switches actuated by the railroad car wheel carrying said journal box to be serviced.