Indian Head Industries, Inc.

Andrew Schartner

Thomas Edward Wallace

Richard J Rink

Mark David Chandler

Glenn Singletary

A brake monitoring assembly and method for monitoring a brake system of a train includes a plurality of train bogeys supporting each train car, each bogey having a wheel axle supporting wheels engaging a train track. Each wheel axle includes a tread brake and a disc brake. A tread brake actuator includes an extendable tread brake pushrod for actuating the tread brake. A disc brake actuator includes an extendable disc brake pushrod for actuating the disc brake. A pneumatic system provides pneumatic pressure for actuating the brakes and includes a sensor for monitoring pressure. Each brake actuator includes a sensor for detecting length of extension of a pushrod. A controller identifies a condition of the actuators when the pressure detected by the sensor is inconsistent with a length of extension of any of the pushrods and signals an indicator for indicating a condition of the actuators.

Brake monitoring assembly for a rail system

A vehicle brake monitor assembly for an air disk brake includes a brake actuator having a pushrod projecting from inside a chamber of said brake actuator. The pushrod releasably actuates a lever arm of a caliper thereby moving the disk brake into a braking position when the pushrod is in an extended position and releasing the disk brake from the braking position when the pushrod is in a retracted position. The pushrod includes a pushrod shaft and a contact member biased in a telescoping relationship relative to the pushrod shaft and the lever arm of the caliper abuts the contact member counteracting the bias of the contact member. A sensor is integrated with the assembly proximate the contact member and detects movement of the pushrod relative to the lever arm and to the pushrod shaft.

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Charlotte, NC, United States of America

Andrew Schartner