Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

Westinghouse Air Brake Company

Wabtec Holding Corporation

David E Schweikert

James A Wood

Robert N Scharpf

David A Greer

James T Dewberry

A pneumatic emergency brake assurance module comprises a high capacity transfer valve connected in a first position to the output of the variable load relay valve and in a second position connected to a source of emergency braking air pressure. A timing reservoir is in communication with the pilot port of the high capacity transfer valve. A check valve/choke circuit provides parallel connections between a double check valve and the output of the variable load relay valve such that flow from the variable load relay valve passes through a charging choke and opposite flow to the variable load relay valves passes through a dissipation choke.

Pneumatic emergency brake assurance module

A pneumatic emergency brake release timer comprises a high capacity transfer valve, a timing reservoir in communication with the pilot port of the high capacity transfer valve, the check valve and choke circuit providing parallel connections between the main source of pressure and the reservoir through a check valve and opposite flow through a dissipating choke.

Pneumatic emergency brake release timer

A wheel slip assurance module comprises a device for disabling the wheel slip valve, a timing reservoir in communication with the disabling device, and a check valve and choke circuit providing parallel connections between the output of the wheel slip valve and the timing reservoir having a first connection path comprising a check valve and charging choke and a second connection path comprising a dissipating choke such that flow from the output of the wheel slip valve passes through the check valve and charging choke to charge the reservoir when the brake cylinders are pressurized and opposite flow passes through the dissipating choke allowing the reservoir to discharge when the brake cylinders are exhausted.

Wheel slip brake assurance module

The Smart Resolution Valve Pressure Control System allows any pressure control system using valve state pulsing to modify airflow at an optimum and consistent range of operation thereby enhancing control accuracy and increasing the useable cycle life of any valve combination used.

Smart resolution valve pressure control

By calculating energy used by friction brake equipment, the amount of friction brake shoe/pad wear is monitored. As amount of energy supplied reaches a percentage of the friction brake shoe/pad energy design limit, and indication for inspection is provided. If the supplied friction energy continues to increase the brake material must be replaced. The software logic limits are tunable for custom configuration by maintainace personnel. This invention measures amount of friction effort supplied with respect to time and distance in a software controller brake system and allows the software to determine when the friction brake material must be replaced on actual data and avoids costly damage from braking with worn out shoes/pads. This invention annunciates through the software when the friction material requires inspection and replacement and provides software logic to indicate remaining material thickness.

Software based brake shoe wear determination

A brake effort monitor for railcar braking systems includes means connected to receive a brake effort request signal and a vehicle speed signal for generating an energy requested signal. Another device is connected to receive a brake effort actual signal and a vehicle speed signal for generating an actual energy signal. There is a mechanism connected to receive the energy requested signal and add it to one of a previous energy requested signal and a predetermined value for generating an energy requested sum signal. A device is connected to receive the actual energy signal and add it to one of a previous actual energy signal and a predetermined value for generating an actual energy sum signal. A comparator is connected to receive the energy requested sum signal and the actual energy sum signal for generating a performance comparison signal and a storage device is connected to receive at least one of an energy requested sum signal and an actual energy sum signal and a performance comparison signal for storing at least one signal.

Brake effort monitor

A method in part enables a wheel slip control system that controls slip on a per axle basis to control slip on a per truck basis. The wheel slip control system issues on a per axle basis an axle reduction signal indicative of a percentage by which to reduce the braking force that would normally be applied to one wheel/axle combination on a truck of a rail vehicle. The method includes the step of converting the axle reduction signals issued on a per axle basis to a truck reduction priority signal indicative of a percentage by which to reduce the braking force on a per truck basis. For rail vehicles featuring dynamic braking equipment another step involves commanding the dynamic braking equipment to reduce the dynamic braking force being applied to the wheel/axle combinations of the truck in response to the percentage carried by the truck reduction priority signal. Still another step involves commanding the friction braking equipment to apply an appropriate amount of friction braking force to the wheel/axle combinations of the truck so as to resolve the slip experienced thereby. The appropriate amount of friction braking force represents the sum of the total braking force sought to be applied to the wheel/axle combinations of the truck less first a product of the total braking force and the percentage carried by the truck reduction priority signal and less second the dynamic braking force being applied to the wheel/axle combinations of the truck.

Universal wheel slip force control logic

A wheel slip control system employs a method of varying the detection and correction parameters it uses based on whether the wheel/axle combinations on a truck of a rail vehicle operate in the coupled or decoupled modes of operation. The control system executes programming code featuring detection and correction logic. The steps of the method include deriving both detection parameters optimized for each mode called coupled and decoupled detection parameters and correction parameters optimized for each mode called coupled and decoupled correction parameters. Another step involves monitoring the amount of dynamic braking applied to the wheel/axle combinations. Yet another step involves determining whether the amount of dynamic braking lies for a preset time period within a preset zone of operation for the dynamic braking of the wheel/axle combinations on the truck. The method provides the coupled detection parameters to the detection logic if the amount of dynamic braking lies within the preset zone for the preset time. Alternately, it provides the decoupled detection parameters to the detection logic if the amount of dynamic braking fails to lie within the preset zone for the preset time. The method provides the coupled correction parameters to the correction logic if the amount of dynamic braking lies within the preset zone for the preset time. Alternately, it provides the decoupled correction parameters to the correction logic only if the amount of dynamic braking fails to lie within the preset zone for the preset time when the wheel slip control system is inactive.

Wheel slip control parameter variation process

An event data recorder and method for recording data relating to a distinct event which pertains to operation of a mechanism. The recorder comprises a device for collecting data pertaining to such operation and formatting such data into a sequence of data elements. A circular buffer is linked to the collecting and formatting device for temporarily storing a number of data elements. The elements are stored on the buffer as a newest element continuously writes over an oldest element as a storage limit of the buffer is reached. The recorder also includes a timer of predetermined duration which activates upon each occurrence of such event. The recorder has a memory device for retaining the data elements. The elements can be accessed therefrom for analysis of such operation of such mechanism surrounding such event. The recorder further includes a data element transfer device, connected to the timer, for transferring the elements from the buffer to the memory device wherein for each occurence of such event a preselected number of the data elements stored prior to, and including, an instant the timer deactivates is transferred by the transfer device from the buffer to the memory device. A data log is thereby formed within the memory device from which the elements may be accessed for analysis of such operation of such mechanism.

Event history data acquisition

An apparatus for providing relative spin speed traction control on a railway vehicle. Such apparatus includes a wheel spin detection device connected to receive a plurality of input signals; one of such input signals being an externally generated axle rate signal which represents an acceleration/deceleration rate of a particular wheel/axle set being monitored with respect to wheel slippage. This device generates a spin speed selection output signal and a respective axle's wheel spin detection signal. A wheel spin correction device connected to receive as input signals; a power/brake signal which represents when such vehicle is either in a braking mode or not, a spin speed selection output signal and the respective axle's wheel spin detection signal. This device determines the appropriate output force command signal selected from remove, hold and apply and also generates an output signal indicating a spin correction being in progress or not in progress for a respective axle. A wheel spin axle force command signal generating unit connected to receive a power/brake signal, an output force command signal and a signal indicative of spin correction, for generating a re-application jerk limiting output signal and communicating this signal to respective truck 1 and truck 2 propulsion control units. A speed normalization unit connected to receive raw axle speed signals, a power/brake signal, axle rate signals and an output signal representative of car level spin for generating an output signal representative of normalized axle speed.

Growing community of inventors

Duncan, SC, United States of America

David E Schweikert