Crossing gate repair kit and method

• US 6,813,860 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles Glenn Perkins, Wayne Board Burnette
• Original Assignee: Charles Glenn Perkins, Wayne Board Burnette
• Inventors: Burnette, Wayne Board, Perkins, Charles Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, HUGH B
• Application Number:
  US10/128,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 44/49, 441/40, 44/13, 443/81, 442/49, 44/9, 105/341, 256/1, 256/73, 256/59, 403/102, 404/6, 404/9, 404/10, 404/11, 52/18, 52/99, 246/127, 246/125, 246/261, 246/272
• US Class Current: 49/49
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/04 Gates for level crossings
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/06 by swinging into open position about a vertical or horizontal axis parallel to the road direction, i.e. swinging gates

Abstract

A railroad crossing gate is repaired by lowering the crossing gate mechanism with a lever. The end of the lever can contain a conical opening mating with the conical pivot pin on the gate mechanism.

Claims

1. In a an apparatus for repairing a crossing gate assembly, the crossing gate assembly comprising:

a) a support mechanism for mounting adjacent the intersection of a roadway and a railroad track;

b) a pivot arm support assembly pivotally connected to said support mechanism;

c) a conical pivot pin mounted to said pivot arm support assembly;

d) an adapter having a conical opening mounted to said pivot pin through the conical opening;

e) a gate arm mounted to said adapter;

wherein the improvement comprises;

f) a receptacle, other than the adapter, having a conical opening adapted to receive the pivot pin of a crossing gate,

g) a lever, other than the gate arm, attached to the receptacle to allow one man to lower the crossing gate assembly pivot arm support assembly for the attachment of a crossing gate thereto.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receptacle has an opening for the insertion of the lever.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lever is a telescoping rod.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receptacle is a cylinder.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including with a power down switch to keep the gate arm in a down position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including with a clamp to assist in attaching the pivot pin to a receptacle having a conical opening.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the conical opening is a receptacle attached to the lever arm.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the conical opening is in a receptacle attached to a crossing gate.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further including with a supporting mechanism for an intermediate portion of the crossing gate assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a wheel is positioned on the bottom of the supporting mechanism.

11. A method of repairing a crossing gate assembly, the crossing gate assembly comprising:

a) a support mechanism for mounting adjacent the intersection of a roadway and a railroad track;

b) a pivot arm support assembly pivotally connected to said support mechanism;

c) a conical pivot pin mounted to said pivot arm support assembly;

d) an adapter, having a conical opening mounted to said pivot pin through the conical opening;

e) a gate arm mounted to said adapter;

the method steps including;

a) attaching a lever to a crossing gate mechanism and lowering the mechanism to a gate down position,

b) removing the lever from the crossing gate mechanism so as to attach a crossing gate arm to the lowered crossing gate mechanism.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the steps of with supporting the gate with a wheeled supporting mechanism for the gate to allow the gate to move in a swinging direction.

13. The method of claim 11 further including the steps of with clamping a pivot pin on the gate mechanism into a receptacle on an end of the gate.

14. The method of claim 11 further including the steps of with holding the gate mechanism in a lowered configuration while the gate assembly is being repaired.