Hudson Valley Inventor's Guard Rail Alignment Tool
Improves Efficiency and Safety
"The HVTDC was truly instrumental in helping me put all the contacts together and form the new company."
Clarence Kratz
Inventor
Even with the millions of miles of ribbon guard rail that snake along our highways, it isn't often that you take notice of them. Yet guard rails, or 'guide' rails, as they are known by state Departments of Transportation, are our main line of defense against serious off-road accidents. The next time you're out for a drive notice how many rails are distorted, twisted, scarred and bent from the bumps and bruises inflicted on them by cars, trucks and snow plows.
Changing damaged guide rails is a problematic task. Once struck, and twisted out of their original shape, rails are hard to unbolt and remove for replacement. Sledge hammers, drift pins and cutting torches are often employed to remove and reinstall broken rail. Often the twisted steel stores up energy and, when the bolts are removed, the damaged rail springs free with great force. They are frequently the cause of serious injury to highway workers. One 30-year-veteran highway worker and fledgling inventor conceived of a solution. Clarence Kratz, of Callicoon, New York, designed a locking tool that would clamp and hold the rails tightly together during the removal, alignment and re-installation process.
Clarence constructed the first of numerous prototypes, and it worked quite well. Not knowing where to take the project from that point, Clarence's wife Loretta, recalled reading an article on the inventor mentoring program (TEA) at Hudson Valley Technology Development Center and called them. That was three plus years ago. The TEA program has advised and guided numerous inventors with projects in varying stages. The program is run by successful inventors and product development engineers with excellent track records in numerous industries.
HVTDC introduced Clarence to experts who helped him complete final commercial designs, guided the product through the patent process and developed a marketing strategy. A joint venture was struck between the parties to launch the tool. Tech Industries, a Kingston based manufacturer, joined the venture and agreed to produce the final product and its accessories.
During the testing and time trials of the finished product, Kratz Rail Alignment ToolZ TM showed an astonishing 50% to 80% reduction in guard rail installation and repair labor and time. In some cases it also eliminated the need for power equipment to aide with the installation, an enormous savings in time, fuel and manpower. The tool went into production this past fall and the joint venture company, Xpert Tools, LLC, is seeking reps across the country to handle sales of the product.
"The HVTDC was truly instrumental in helping me put all the contacts together and form the new company." stated Clarence. "It was hard to believe all the details necessary to get my tool properly protected by a patent and make the countless changes and refinements required before we were ready to go. It was well worth the effort. Our tool is the best device on the market for installing and repairing guide rails. If it wasn't for the HVTDC and my new partners, I could not have done this alone."
Today, "Kratz Rail Alignment ToolZ TM " are selling to highway departments, townships and New York State DOT garages across New York and getting rave reviews. Sales efforts have also started in North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.