Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Wei Li ·
Assignee(s)	Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Buchanan Ingersoll, P.C. ·
Primary Examiner	Mark T. Le ·
Assistant Examiner	Lars A. Olson ·
Application Number	US10216581
Filing date	08/09/2002
Issue date	11/18/2003
Prior Publication Data	US20030110975 - 06/19/2003
Predicted expiration date	08/09/2022
U.S. Classifications	105/458  · 414/537  · 414/480  ·
International Classifications	--
Kind Code	B2
International Classifications	105458 · 213 75 R · 213 75 TC · 213211 · 213212 · 414480 · 414537 ·
Related U.S. Application Data	CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/255,204, and U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Ser. Nos. 60/340,279, and 60/340,577 both filed Dec. 14, 2001.

Patent Family

Abstract

A ramp actuating mechanism for a rail vehicle having a movable ramp and a movable draft arm and coupler arrangement, wherein a spring assisted apparatus can be associated with the movable draft arm and coupler arrangement to counterbalance the load of the movable draft arm and coupler arrangement.

Independent Claims | See all claims (4)

1. 1. A ramp actuating apparatus for a rail vehicle having a ramp movable between deployed and stored positions and a draft arm and coupler arrangement movable between lowered and raised positions, said ramp actuating apparatus comprising: a. a first portion connected to said ramp and controllable to move said ramp between said deployed and stored positions; b. a second portion coupled to said first portion and to said draft arm and coupler arrangement, said second portion having a resiliently compressible member; c. said first portion causing said second portion to move said draft arm and coupler arrangement to said lowered position when said first portion moves said ramp to said deployed position, and said first portion causing said second portion to move said draft arm and coupler arrangement to said raised position when said first portion moves said ramp to said stored position, d. said second portion having a first end connectable to said rail vehicle and a second end connectable to said coupler and draft arm arrangement via a knee linkage; e. said knee linkage connected intermediate said coupler and draft arm arrangement and said first portion; and f. said resiliently compressible member positioned intermediate said first and second ends.