Westinghouse Air Brake Company

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

Other

Wabtec Corporation

Brian L Cunkelman

Walter E Goettel

Daniel G Wagner

Roger Drummond

James M Varney

Ronald J Shaffer

Jennifer L Ray

Matthew D Mitsch

Julie A Krawczyk

Richard F Balukin

Ralph Santoro, Jr

Lawrence M Kushnir, Jr

Robert G Bostedo

George B Neilson

James Varney

Mike Wong

An expandable desiccant element for removal of moisture from an air stream. Such expandable desiccant element includes at least one first expandable containment section capable of expanding a first predetermined amount, at least one second expandable containment section capable of expanding a second predetermined amount which is greater than the first predetermined amount connected to the first expandable containment section. Such at least one first expandable containment section and at least one second expandable containment section forming a predetermined shape.

Expandable desiccant element

Method and apparatus for heating gases cooled by an aftercooler that receives hot gases from a compressor. The method includes the steps of directing at least a portion of said hot gases to means for bypassing the aftercooler, and using the bypass means to direct hot gases to a location that receives cooled gases from the aftercooler. The hot gases are used at the location to heat the cooled gases when ambient temperature is at or below freezing, and are used downstream from the aftercooler when moisture freezes in the aftercooler.

Aftercooler bypass means for a locomotive compressed air system

The present invention provides an apparatus that is used to measure relative humidity, such apparatus comprises a housing having a first end and a second end. There is a humidity sensor disposed at the first end of the housing for measuring the humidity in the air and a temperature sensor also disposed at the first end of the housing for measuring ambient temperature. The apparatus has an electronics portion in direct electrical communication with the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor for computing a relative humidity and a dewpoint temperature. The electronics portion is disposed within a center portion of the housing. There is, further, a battery that is in electrical communication with the electronics portion, the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor for providing power to the apparatus. Such battery is disposed in the center portion of the housing of the apparatus. The apparatus has a display means that is in electrical communication with the electronics portion and with the battery for displaying such relative humidity and such dew point temperature as determined by the electronics portion. The display means is disposed at a second end of said housing.

Battery powered humidity indicator

The present invention provides an externally mounted assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft member driven by an electric motor. The externally mounted assembly comprises an annularly projected bearing support member disposed on a substantially vertical plane and a bearing member mounted on the bearing support member. Such bearing member is connectable with the rotatable shaft member for supporting such rotatable shaft member thereby reducing extraneous vertical and horizontal movement of such rotatable shaft member while permitting such rotatable shaft member to rotate freely.

Locomotive air compressor with an electric motor supported by an external bearing

An electronic vent valve for an electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP&rdquo;) braking system having a plurality of braking sites at which a braking force can be applied. The ECP braking system includes a master controller processing circuit, individual braking control units located proximate each of the braking sites and a brake pipe supplying compressed air to the braking sites. The electronic vent valve is in fluid communication with the compressed air carried by the brake pipe and has an open position for substantially venting the compressed air from the brake pipe and a closed position for substantially retaining the compressed air within the brake pipe. The electronic vent valve includes a control circuit for causing the valve to open during emergency braking operations, thereby assuring a rapid decrease in the brake pipe pressure. The control circuit preferably includes a brake pipe pressure sensor and a microprocessor for calculating a rate of change of the brake pipe pressure (dP/dt) and for causing the valve to open whenever the calculated rate of change of brake pipe pressure exceeds a threshold value. The control circuit can additionally cause the valve to open in response to a direct command from the master controller and can transmit to the master controller various operational characteristics of the braking system and the microprocessor itself.

Electronic vent valve

The present invention provides an assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft member driven by a motor. The assembly comprises a base member, an upright support member connected to the base member and a bearing member mounted on the upright support member Such bearing member is connectable with the rotatable shaft member for supporting such rotatable shaft member thereby reducing extraneous vertical and horizontal movement of such rotatable shaft member while permitting such rotatable shaft member to rotate freely.

Locomotive air compressor with motor supported by outside bearing

A shaft extension for attachment to a crankshaft of an electric motor driven air compressor to axially extend the crankshaft for engagement with an outboard rotational bearing. The electric motor driven air compressor includes a bearing plate, an inboard rotational bearing mounted on the bearing plate, the crankshaft projecting through both of the inboard rotational bearing and the bearing plate and terminating in a distal end disposed exterior of the bearing plate. The air compressor also includes an electric motor, the electric motor having a stator frame, a stator fixedly mounted within the stator frame, and a rotor fixedly mounted to the crankshaft for rotation therewith and disposed interior of the stator. The air compressor further includes the outboard rotational bearing disposed axially outboard of the stator frame, the stator, and the rotor. The shaft extension includes an extension member having an extended major axis and a minor axis extending substantially transverse to the extended major axis and a connection mechanism for connecting the extension member to the distal end of the crankshaft.

Shaft extension for use with outboard bearing designs

Apparatus for and method of monitoring the condition of an air compressor. The apparatus includes a plurality of appropriately located sensors for sensing operating parameters of the air compressor and for outputting signals indicative of the condition of each of the operating parameters. An information processor is connected to receive the output signals from the sensors and to communicate output control signals in response thereto. The control signals contain information that allows appropriate control and maintenance of the air compressor.

Intelligent air compressor operation

A combined bearing plate and stator frame for an air compressor powered by an electric motor. The air compressor includes a crankshaft rotationally supported by a rotational bearing, and the electric motor includes a rotor and a stator substantially surrounding the rotor. The rotor is mounted on a portion of the crankshaft for rotation therewith. The combined bearing plate and stator frame is adapted for integration into the air compressor so as to provide a bearing plate for mounting of the rotational bearing and a stator frame for mounting of the stator therein and an aligning the stator with the rotor mounted on the portion of the crankshaft. The combined bearing plate and stator frame includes a bearing plate member and a stator frame member, the bearing plate member and the stator frame member being integrally formed from a single piece of material.

Combined bearing plate and stator frame casting

Endplate for use with outboard bearing designs

A temperature indicator for indicating when a specified temperature has been exceeded in a fluid flow through a conduit. Such conduit having an aperture and the temperature indicator being mountable in such aperture and engagable therewith such that the temperature indicator projects through such aperture and into such fluid flow in such conduit. The temperature indicator includes a housing which substantially encloses an internal chamber and has a bore extending from the internal chamber to an external surface of the housing. An indicator member is disposed, at least in part, within the internal chamber and extends into the bore. A biasing element is disposed within the internal chamber and exerts a biasing force between the housing and the indicator member and urges the indicator member toward the bore. A bonding agent forms a bond between the indicator member and the housing to thereby restrain the indicator member from movement toward the bore under action of the biasing element. The bonding agent is thermosensitive to substantially release the bond between the indicator member and the housing when a temperature of the bonding agent substantially reaches the specified temperature.

Pop-up temperature indicator for use in a 3-CD type air compressor or similar device

A temperature indicator for providing a visual indication that a pressurized fluid has exceeded a specified temperature. Such pressurized fluid being contained within a container bounded by a container wall. Such container wall being provided with an aperture for mounting of the temperature indicator therein such that the temperature indicator protrudes through such aperture and into such pressurized fluid contained within such container. The temperature indicator includes a housing member, a cavity provided in the housing member and a bore extending from an interior portion of the cavity to an exterior surface of the housing member. The exterior surface of the housing member is visible from a position external of such container when the temperature indicator is mounted in such aperture such that the temperature indicator protrudes through such aperture and into such pressurized fluid contained within such container. The temperature indicator further includes a plunger member at least partially disposed within the cavity. The plunger member extends into the bore and a bonding agent bonds the plunger member to the housing member. The bonding agent being substantially exposed to such pressurized fluid contained within such container and the bonding agent being thermosensitive to substantially release the bonding of the plunger member to the housing member upon the bonding agent substantially exceeding the specified temperature.

Temperature indicator for use in a pressurized environment

Apparatus for rapidly unloading air pressure in an intercooler to atmosphere when a compressor pneumatically connected to the intercooler is unloaded. The apparatus includes a governor pneumatically connected to a reservoir, that, in turn, is connected to receive pressurized air from the air compressor. The governor has a pressure sensing device operable to order unloading of the compressor when air pressure level in the reservoir tank reaches a preset level. An electrically operated valve is pneumatically connected to the intercooler and connected electrically to the pressure sensing device of the governor, with the electrically operated valve being effective to exhaust air pressure in the intercooler when the valve receives an unload signal from the pressure sensing device. The compressor is driven, by an electrical motor having one or more speed configurations, with transition occurring between one configuration and another when the compressor is unloaded. The electrically operated valve is effective to unload the intercooler at the time of speed configuration transition to reduce undue motor and electrical contactor heat and thus increase life expectancy of the motor and contactors.

Growing community of inventors

Blairsville, PA, United States of America

Brian L Cunkelman