Method and apparatus for identifying engines in a train of railway vehicles

Claim 3

A method for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion in accordance with claim 1 in which said first and fourth locations are spaced not less than 9 feet 4 inches and not more than 11 feet apart.

Claim 4

A method for identifying engines according to claim 1 in which said locations are spaced approximately as follows: first to second location - 3 ft. 9 in. second to third location - 3 ft. 3 in. third to fourth location - 3 ft. 0 in.

Claim 7

Apparatus for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion comprising: first, secoNd, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it, and adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart; engine signal means for identifying an engine; control circuit means effective to activate the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequences of said detectors a. actuation of the third detector by the first axle of a vehicle followed by actuation of the fourth detector before actuation of the second detector, and b. actuation of the fourth detector by the second axle of a vehicle when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not the fourth axle of the vehicle followed by actuation of the second detector before actuation of the third detector.

Claim 8

Apparatus for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion comprising: first, secoNd, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it, and adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart; engine signal means for identifying an engine; control circuit means effective to activate the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequences of said detectors a. actuation of the third detector by the first axle of a vehicle followed by actuation of the fourth detector before actuation of the second detector, and b. actuation of the fourth detector by the second axle of a vehicle when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not the fourth axle of the vehicle followed by actuation of the second detector before actuation of the third detector.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the first and fourth axle detectors are spaced apart less than the minimum distance between inner axles on trucks at opposite ends of a standard railway vehicle, and more than the maximum distance between adjacent axles on any one truck of a standard railway vehicle.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the first and fourth axle detectors are spaced apart not less than 9 feet 4 inches and not more than 11 feet.

Claim 11

Apparatus for identifying engines according to claim 5 in which said detectors are spaced substantially as follows: first to second detector - 3 ft. 9 in. second to third detector - 3 ft. 3 in. third to fourth detector - 3 ft. 0 in.

Claim 12

Apparatus for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion comprising: first, second, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it, the first and fourth detectors being spaced not less than 9 feet 4 inches and not more than 11 feet apart, and adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart; engine signal means for identifying an engine; control circuit means effective to activate the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence of said detectors actuation of the third detector by the first axle of a vehicle followed by actuation of the fourth detector before actuation of the second detector.

Claim 13

Apparatus for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion comprising: first, second, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it, the first and fourth detectors being spaced not less than 9 feet 4 inches and not more than 11 feet apart, and adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart; engine signal means for identifying an engine; control circuit means effective to activate the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence of said detectors actuation of the third detector by the first axle of a vehicle followed by actuation of the fourth detector before actuation of the second detector.

Claim 14

Apparatus for identifying engines according to claim 9 including means for inhibiting activation of the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence of said detectors actuation of the third detector by the first axle of a vehicle followed by actuation of the second detector before activation of the fourth detector.

Claim 15

Apparatus for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion comprising: first, second, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it, the first and forth detectors being spaced not less than 9 feet 4 inches and not more than 11 feet apart, and adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart; engine signal means for identifying an engine; control circuit means effective to activate the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence of said detectors actuation of the fourth detector by the second axle of a vehicle when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not the fourth axle of the vehicle followed by actuation of the second detector before actuation of the third detector.

Claim 16

Apparatus for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion comprising: first, second, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it, the first and forth detectors being spaced not less than 9 feet 4 inches and not more than 11 feet apart, and adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart; engine signal means for identifying an engine; control circuit means effective to activate the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence of said detectors actuation of the fourth detector by the second axle of a vehicle when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not the fourth axle of the vehicle followed by actuation of the second detector before actuation of the third detector.

Claim 17

Apparatus for identifying engines according to claim 11 including means for inhibiting activation of the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence of said detectors actuation of the fourth detector by the second Axle of a vehicle when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not the fourth axle of a vehicle followed by actuation of the third detector before actuation of the second detector.

Claim 18

Apparatus for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion comprising: first, second, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it, the first and fourth detectors being spaced not less than 9 feet 4 inches and not more than 11 feet apart, and adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart; engine signal means for identifying an engine; a first control circuit including means effective to enable itself and to activate the engine signal means to identify four-axle and some six- and eight-axle engines in response to the following actuation sequence actuation of the third detector by the first axle of an engine followed by actuation of the fourth detector before actuation of the second detector, and means to enable and dis-enable itself without activating the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence actuation of the third detector by the first axle of a car followed by actuation of the second detector before actuation of the fourth detector; a second control circuit including means effective to enable itself and to activate the engine signal means to identify six-and eight-axle engines in response to the following actuation sequence actuation of the fourth detector by the second axle of an engine when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not by the fourth axle of the engine followed by actuation of the second detector before actuation of the third detector, and means to enable and dis-enable itself without activating the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence actuation of the fourth detector by the second axle of a car when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not by the fourth axle of the car followed by actuation of the third detector before actuation of the second detector.

Claim 19

Apparatus for identifying engines in a train of standard railway vehicles while coupled and in motion comprising: first, second, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it, the first and fourth detectors being spaced not less than 9 feet 4 inches and not more than 11 feet apart, and adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart; engine signal means for identifying an engine; a first control circuit including means effective to enable itself and to activate the engine signal means to identify four-axle and some six- and eight-axle engines in response to the following actuation sequence actuation of the third detector by the first axle of an engine followed by actuation of the fourth detector before actuation of the second detector, and means to enable and dis-enable itself without activating the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence actuation of the third detector by the first axle of a car followed by actuation of the second detector before actuation of the fourth detector; a second control circuit including means effective to enable itself and to activate the engine signal means to identify six-and eight-axle engines in response to the following actuation sequence actuation of the fourth detector by the second axle of an engine when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not by the fourth axle of the engine followed by actuation of the second detector before actuation of the third detector, and means to enable and dis-enable itself without activating the engine signal means in response to the following actuation sequence actuation of the fourth detector by the second axle of a car when the first detector has been actuated by the third but not by the fourth axle of the car followed by actuation of the third detector before actuation of the second detector.

Claim 20

Apparatus for identifying engines in a mixed train of railway vehicles including standard four-, six-, and eight-axle railway cars and engines while coupled and in motion comprising: first, second, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it; a counter for each of the first, third, and fourth detectors effective to count and totalize the number of axles passing each corresponding detector, and means for programming each of the counters to reset after each has counted the total number of axles on a vehicle; the first and fourth detectors being spaced more than 9 feet 4 inches and less than 11 feet apart and the adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart along the line of movement of the train; engine signal means for identifying an engine; a first control circuit and means for enabling it in response to a ''''one'''' count on the third detector counter; a second control circuit and means for enabling it in response to a ''''two'''' count on the fourth detector counter when there is a ''''three'''' count on the first detector counter; said first control circuit including means to activate said engine signal means in response to the following detector and counter actuation sequence, after enabling actuation of the fourth detector and its corresponding counter before actuation of the second detector and its corresponding counter, said first control circuit including means to dis-enable it in response to the following detector and counter actuation sequence, after enabling actuation of the second detector and its corresponding counter before aCtuation of the fourth detector and its corresponding counter, said second control circuit including means to activate said engine signal means in response to the following detector and counter actuation sequence, after enabling corresponding actuation of the second detector and its counter before actuation of the third detector and its corresponding counter, said second control circuit including means to dis-enable it in response to the following detector and counter sequence, after enabling actuation of the third detector and its corresponding counter before actuation of the second detector and its corresponding counter.

Claim 21

Apparatus for identifying engines in a mixed train of railway vehicles including standard four-, six-, and eight-axle railway cars and engines while coupled and in motion comprising: first, second, third, and fourth axle detectors arranged in that order along the line of movement of the train, each detector being actuatable by movement of an axle past it; a counter for each of the first, third, and fourth detectors effective to count and totalize the number of axles passing each corresponding detector, and means for programming each of the counters to reset after each has counted the total number of axles on a vehicle; the first and fourth detectors being spaced more than 9 feet 4 inches and less than 11 feet apart and the adjacent detectors being spaced less than 4 feet 6 inches apart along the line of movement of the train; engine signal means for identifying an engine; a first control circuit and means for enabling it in response to a ''''one'''' count on the third detector counter; a second control circuit and means for enabling it in response to a ''''two'''' count on the fourth detector counter when there is a ''''three'''' count on the first detector counter; said first control circuit including means to activate said engine signal means in response to the following detector and counter actuation sequence, after enabling actuation of the fourth detector and its corresponding counter before actuation of the second detector and its corresponding counter, said first control circuit including means to dis-enable it in response to the following detector and counter actuation sequence, after enabling actuation of the second detector and its corresponding counter before aCtuation of the fourth detector and its corresponding counter, said second control circuit including means to activate said engine signal means in response to the following detector and counter actuation sequence, after enabling corresponding actuation of the second detector and its counter before actuation of the third detector and its corresponding counter, said second control circuit including means to dis-enable it in response to the following detector and counter sequence, after enabling actuation of the third detector and its corresponding counter before actuation of the second detector and its corresponding counter.