US 12,435,474 B2
Auto stow wings
Gary K. Gibson, II, Wetumpka, AL (US); Michael D. Adams, Prattville, AL (US); and Alston H. Pike, Wetumpka, AL (US)
Assigned to Progress Rail Services Corporation, Albertville, AL (US)
Filed by Progress Rail Services Corporation, Albertville, AL (US)
Filed on Jan. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/570,119.
Prior Publication US 2023/0212828 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. E01B 27/02 (2006.01)
CPC E01B 27/02 (2013.01) 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ballast regulator machine comprising:
a regulator frame;
a ballast wing comprising:
a wing arm pivotally mounted to the regulator frame,
a wing arm extension movably mounted to the wing arm for extension away from and retraction toward the regulator frame,
a wing frame pivotally mounted to an end of the wing arm extension opposite the regulator frame,
a wing lift cylinder having a wing lift cylinder actuator and connected between the regulator frame and the wing arm,
a wing pivot cylinder having a wing pivot cylinder actuator and connected between the wing arm extension and the wing frame, and
a wing extension cylinder having a wing extension cylinder actuator and connected between the wing arm and the wing arm extension,
a wing activation switch;
a machine controller operatively connected to the wing lift cylinder actuator, the wing pivot cylinder actuator, the wing extension cylinder actuator and the wing activation switch, wherein the machine controller is programmed to:
detect actuation of the wing activation switch,
actuate the wing lift cylinder actuator to cause the wing lift cylinder to dispose the wing arm within a predetermined safe zone in response to detecting actuation of the wing activation switch,
actuate the wing pivot cylinder actuator to cause the wing lift cylinder to rotate the wing frame to a wing frame stored position after the wing arm is within the predetermined safe zone,
actuate the wing extension cylinder actuator to cause the wing extension cylinder to retract the wing arm extension to a retracted position after the wing frame is in the wing frame stored position, and
actuate the wing lift cylinder actuator to cause the wing lift cylinder to rotate the ballast wing to a stored position adjacent the regulator frame after the wing arm extension is in the retracted position;
a wing lock mounted on the regulator frame and having a wing lock actuator operative connected to the machine controller, wherein the machine controller is programmed to actuate the wing lock actuator to cause the wing lock to engage the ballast wing after the ballast wing is rotated to the stored position.