Patent ID: 7461867
Filing Date: 2008-12-09
Classification: B60T,F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. In combination with a brake hose including a glad hand secured to one end thereof, said brake hose to be lifted into a predetermined elevated position being attached to an end of a railway car, an apparatus for lifting said brake hose and further maintaining said brake hose in said predetermined elevated position during in track service, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first member engageable with a predetermined portion of said railway car; (b) a second member engageable with one of said glad hand and said brake hose; (c) an elastic means with a thermal shape memory engaged at a first end thereof to said first member and engaged at a second end thereof to said second member, said elastic means having a predetermined shape and a predetermined size; and (d) an electrical communication means for connecting said elastic means intermediate ends thereof directly to a source of electric energy and for causing said elastic means to contract in a longitudinal direction upon supply of said electric energy and thereby elevate said brake hose to such predetermined elevated position.