Patent US5004190A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5004190A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rail heating apparatus
Assignee: Thermon Manufacturing Co
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Filing: 1987-11-06
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Granted: 1991-04-02
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Expires: 2007-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A rail heating system is provided for heating railroad components such as railroad switch areas and electrified third rails. The heating system includes a side heater having a heating pad that has a flexible contact surface. A clip arrangement such as a spring steel clip is provided for securing the heating pads to the stock rail and pressing the contact surface into engagement with the rail. The contact surface of the heating pad is forced to conform to the shape of the contacted portion of the rail. Ground pan heaters may be used to keep areas of the switch that are not suitable for attachment by the side heaters, such as the switch rod, free from ice and snow.
Inventors
- 👤 Garry L. Montierth
- 👤 Stephen A. Logan
- 👤 Raymond J. Scott
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 23:07
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01B; E01B7/00; E01B7/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A rail heating system for heating a railroad rail having a contoured web, the rail being supported by support means that holds the rail in place, the rail heating system comprising: a heating pad having a flexible contact surface with sufficient flexibility to deform to match the contour of said rail web; clip means for pressing the heating pad contact surface into contact with a portion of the rail web and deforming the contact surface to match the contour of the contacted portion of the rail web.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
A rail heating system for heating a railroad rail having a contoured web, the rail being supported by support means that holds the rail in place, the rail heating system comprising: a heating pad having a flexible contact surface with sufficient flexibility to deform to match the contour of said rail web; clip means for pressing the heating pad contact surface into contact with a portion of the rail web and deforming the contact surface to match the contour of the contacted portion of the rail web.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 1 wherein said heating pad further comprises a resistive heating element and electrical contact means for connecting the resistive heating element to an external power supply.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 2, wherein said support means includes a plurality of spaced apart braces, the rail heating system further comprising a plurality of heating pads wherein each said heating pad is sized and positioned to fit in between two adjacent braces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 3 wherein said heating pads are connected in electrical series, there being first and second end heating pads.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 4 wherein said electrical contact means includes cooperative input and output means for electrically connecting the output of one heating pad to the input of an adjacent heating pad and for connecting the end heating pads to a power supply, said cooperative input and output means being sized and positioned such that if one of said braces separates adjacent heating pads, the connection therebetween is made by passing about the separating brace.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 2 wherein said heating pad further comprises a channel having a removable cover for accessing said electrical contact means, said electrical contact means including an input connector cord and an output connector cord.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 6 wherein said channel includes a plurality of slots through which the input and output connector cords may be fed, said slots serving to provide means for effectively lengthening and shortening the input and output cords.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 2 wherein said resistive heating element includes a flexible heating element having a punched pattern therein that forms a multiplicity of parallel resistive paths, and a flexible watertight cover that protects said flexible heating element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 2 wherein said resistive heating element has a variable watt density.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A rail heating system as recited in claim 2 wherein said resistive heating element is self limiting.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
155 words
A rail switch heating system for heating a railroad switch having a point area and a heel area, the switch including a switch rail point, a stock rail having a web, support means for holding the stock rail in place, the support means effectively dividing the stock rail into a plurality of rail segments, and a switch rod for moving the switch rail point between a first position and a second position, the rail heating system comprising: a plurality of side heaters, each said side heater having a flexible contact surface with sufficient flexibility to deform to match the contour of said rail web and being adapted for attachment to a single rail segment; clip means for securing the side heaters to the stock rails and pressing the flexible contact surface into contact with the rail web along its entire length; and power receiving means for connecting said side heaters to an external power supply.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
155 words
A rail switch heating system for heating a railroad switch having a point area and a heel area, the switch including a switch rail point, a stock rail having a web, support means for holding the stock rail in place, the support means effectively dividing the stock rail into a plurality of rail segments, and a switch rod for moving the switch rail point between a first position and a second position, the rail heating system comprising: a plurality of side heaters, each said side heater having a flexible contact surface with sufficient flexibility to deform to match the contour of said rail web and being adapted for attachment to a single rail segment; clip means for securing the side heaters to the stock rails and pressing the flexible contact surface into contact with the rail web along its entire length; and power receiving means for connecting said side heaters to an external power supply.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A rail switch heating system as recited in claim 11 wherein said side heaters are connected in electrical series, there being first and second end side heaters.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
91 words
A rail switch heating system as recited in claim 12 wherein said support means includes a plurality of spaced apart braces and said power receiving means includes cooperative input and output means, for connecting the output of a first side heater to the input of an adjacent side heater and connecting the end side heaters to a power supply, said cooperative input and output means being sized and positioned such that if one of said braces separates adjacent side heaters, the connection therebetween is made by passing about the separating braces.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A rail switch heating system as recited in claim 11 further comprising a ground pan heater for disposition beneath the switch rod, wherein each said side heater and said ground pan heater each include a resistive heater element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A rail switch heating system as recited in claim 14 wherein each said resistive heater element is self-limiting.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A rail switch heating system as recited in claim 14 wherein each said resistive heater element has a plurality of parallel electrical paths.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A rail switch heating system as recited in claim 14 wherein said resistive heating elements have variable watt densities.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
A rail switch heating system as recited in claim 11 wherein the side heaters disposed nearest the switch point have a higher heat input into said stock rail per unit foot of rail than the side heaters disposed nearest the switch heel.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of heating a railroad switch to prevent ice and snow from jamming the switch, the switch having a switch point area and a switch heel area and including a switch rail having a switch rail point, a stock rail, and a switch rod for moving the switch rail point between a first position and a second position, the method comprising the steps of: heating the stock rail with a plurality of resistive heaters coupled to the stock rial that are arranged to directly conduct more heat to the portion of the stock rail in the switch point area than the portion of the stock rial in the switch heel area.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of heating a railroad switch to prevent ice and snow from jamming the switch, the switch having a switch point area and a switch heel area and including a switch rail having a switch rail point, a stock rail, and a switch rod for moving the switch rail point between a first position and a second position, the method comprising the steps of: heating the stock rail with a plurality of resistive heaters coupled to the stock rial that are arranged to directly conduct more heat to the portion of the stock rail in the switch point area than the portion of the stock rial in the switch heel area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as recited in claim 19 further comprising the step of simultaneously heating the switch rod with a heating pad disposed underneath the switch rod.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-04-01 | 1994-10-01 | 1995-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-04-01 | 1998-10-01 | 1999-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-04-01 | 2002-10-01 | 2003-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |