Sand Dispensing Device for Vehicles and System Components for Such Sand Dispensing Devices

Abstract

A sand dispensing device for vehicles has an exchangeable sand container and a sand outlet comprising a sand conduit for transporting sand from the sand container to a sand dispensing location. A container receptacle is provided that exchangeably secures the sand container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a sand dispensing device for vehicles as well as various system components for such sand dispensing devices.[0002]Sand dispensing devices of the kind in question here are known and serve for dispensing sand, as needed, in particular in case of rail vehicles and buses, for increasing grip of the wheels on slippery surfaces for the purpose of improving the braking action.[0003]It should be noted in this connection that the corresponding devices, because of the fact that in general sand is being dispensed, are often referred to as sand dispensing devices (sanders); however, with such devices also any other bulk material can of course be dispensed for obtaining the desired effect. Thus, when in this application, in staying with conventional terminology, in the following reference is being had to sand and sand dispensing device, this terminology does not imply any limitation to sand as a bulk material to be dispensed.[0004...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]It is an object of the present invention to enable refilling of sand particularly in case of open systems in a simpler, cleaner, and less expensive way.

[0012]The present invention has the advantage that special filling devices for vehicles are no longer required. The vehicles must no longer travel to a site where a filling device is provided. Moreover, the dust and dirt loading during filling, in particular when filling is done from the interior of the vehicle is significantly lower.

[0013]Moreover, the invention enables by simple modifications and retrofitting with appropriate container receptacles to make existing sand dispensing devices refillable by means of exchangeable containers so that vehicles furnished therewith no longer must travel to a service facility for a sand refill.

Problems solved by technology

However, filling of sand containers of the known kind is surprisingly complex.

In order for such sand containers to be filled, complex and expensive filling devices are required that are available only at a few service stations so that a vehicle must make a separate trip to such stations and therefore is not available during this time for regular scheduled operation, for example, in public transportation.

In case of some sand dispensing devices there are so-called emergency fill openings in the interior of the vehicle in order to be able to fill in urgent refill situations the respective sand reservoir outside of a servicing station; such fill openings are however generally difficult to reach and / or difficult to open, for example, seats must be removed before access is possible.

When filling sand containers of the known kind, there is also often a significant dust and dirt loading.

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